Will.i.am at 2011 Billboard Music Awards in Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2011

Style Icon - Duke of Windsor

“Chic Fatigue”, is how Diana Vreeland described The Duke for American Vogue because of the casual yet elegant style he kept his whole life – before, during and after his short reign. Born and groomed to be heir to the largest Empire the world had seen since ancient Rome, Edward VIII was bought up at the sober court of his serious and dominating father George V. Provoked and feeling restrained by what was constantly expected of him as Prince of Wales and King, Edward was a man who threw off the shackles of conformity, obligation and duty and opted to embrace the growing world of frivolity and glamour enforced by the scars of WWI and dazzling lights of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Rebelling against the conformity of royal life, he was a self-proclaimed trendsetter and true British dandy, crossing barriers and etiquette of dress. This, combined with his seductive charm, made him irresistible and the most eligible bachelor in the world.

Described by Noel Coward as having “All the charm in the world with nothing to back it up” the Duke of Windsor was a Peter Pan Prince. Self involved and never wanting the party to stop, he was a flirtatious and hopeless romantic, falling in love with the twice-divorced, bewitching American, Wallis Simpson. Consequently, forced to choose love over his duty as King he abdicated in 1936 having only been King for less than a year. He and Wallis lived the jet set lifestyle in exile and he continued to display his flair for fine tailoring and a distinctive style.

His style may not seem rebellious today, but in the 1920’s and 30’s his quirky wardrobe of mad mixed checks and plaids and extremely baggy plus fours (and this only for golf!) sent shock waves through the establishment, sparked new trends and gave British fashion a sartorial rebranding.
He was a great innovator too, introducing the dinner jacket which was born out of the American tuxedo jacket and worn by HRH in rich ink blue with black grosgrain lapels. He also made tartan popular on everything from suit jackets to swimming shorts.

As Duke, he perfected his signature look, typically seen in a formal tailored suit and hat, with a manic mix of Madras checked shirt, paisley cravat, plaid trousers and argyle socks. Edward was naturally stylish with an instinctive knowledge of what to wear and how to wear it, making him the perfect style icon. From state robes to top hat and tails or his more racy dress, he always looked picture perfect.

The charming, outrageously dressed, scandalous and love struck HRH was the darling of the royal social circuit until his very public fall from grace, for the woman that he loved. Despite his renunciation of the throne, he will for ever stand out in history as the charming effervescent bastion of modern menswear.

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor at Ednam Lodge Suningdale(12 Oct 1946)

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor on the quayside at Portofino with their dog.They are on a cruise in the Mediterranean on a yacht belonging to socialite,the Hon Mrs.Fellowes.(1st September1951)

 Duke and Duchess of Windsor in New York(1 January,1951).  The Duchess is carrying her pet dog;a 3 month old-pug terrier named "Disraeli"

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor on a shopping trip in Florence(12 Sep 1949)

16th May 1947

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor at their home,The Villa La Croe in Cap D'Antibes,France.Where they spent the new year.(2nd January 1939)

source:TheStyleKing ,Wikipedia

Star Style - David Beckham

David and Victoria Beckham were pictured leaving Brazilian Steakhouse Fogo De Chão in LA on April 6.

Style Icon - Jon Kortajarena

His name is Jon Kortajarena, a 25 year old Spanish born model, known for his distinguishing chiselled cheekbones, effortless style and a dark, fly-away mop of hair. The Spaniard seems to be everywhere; from bus stops and billboards to high end magazines and award shows. You can’t go far at the moment without noticing Jon Kortajarena. If you are unfamiliar with his name then I am sure you recognise him from H&M's winter campaign, as well as being the face of recent advertisements at Pepe Jeans, Next, Martinique, Tom Ford and Guess. He also featured In Tom Ford’s directorial début A Single Man in 2009, and in the same year GQ voted him their Model Of The Year.


Jon was discovered at Fashion Week whilst visiting a friend who was attending a show. His initial meetings went very well and he was soon required to move from Bilbao – his hometown – to Paris. He threw himself head first into the fashion world and has never looked back.
The reason I believe Jon Kortajarena is a style icon is because of his dishevelled brand of elegance and for imposing his own style and unique look on all his photo shoots and campaigns. He looks as sartorially savvy in both casual knits and denim as he does in a Tom Ford suit, and looks just as cultivated when walking the red carpet as he does in the street. He wears clothes that suit his tall and slim physique, and you don’t have to be an international model to understand the importance of dressing to your frame.
It is easy to argue that gauging a male model’s sense of style is a bit of a farce because their job is to be dressed by other people, and thus they may not have a style identity of their own. But I believe, as with David Gandy, Jon Kortajarena knows what suits him and stamps his authority and individuality on the outfits he wears. He trusts his own frame to give loose casuals and knits the shape and elegance required, once again championing the effortless presence that he has. When wearing more tailored and formal outfits Jon looks sharp and measured but when this is coupled with stubble and full head of semi-styled looking hair it presents a look that is traditional but with a modern edge, and this is something that we can all achieve with a little creativity in our wardrobe and grooming.

To get Jon’s day to day look it’s all about not trying too hard. Being a male model it would be easy to fall into the glamour trap – dressing in ornate designer labels and showy pieces – but Kortajarena prefers a more subtle and understated ensemble, teaming chunky knits with scooped tees and denim with flannel shirts. Sometimes the simplest of outfits can attract the most attention and it’s all about shape and layering.
If you are opting for a more tailored or formal wardrobe this season then why not take a leaf out of Jon’s book and choose slim fitting, tapered cloths that hug your body shape, and if you are a tall and slim fellow then tailored pieces are perfect for accentuating height and tone.

How to achieve the Jon Kortajarena look:

• Use layering for a functional yet attractive ensemble.
• Grow out that hair and stubble for a modern, masculine look.
• Consider tailored, slim evening and formal wear that flatters the frame.
• Chunky knits can add sophistication.
• Dress to your body shape.
• Learn Spanish to complete the rugged, devil-may-care Mediterranean look. Well that bit is optional, but it might work.

Jon Kortajarena Informations

Jon Kortajarena Redruello (born 19 May 1985 in Bilbao, Spain) is a Spanish male model. He is known for his distinguishing hair, chiseled cheekbones, piercing stare, and full pout. He has landed advertising campaigns for Just Cavalli, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Bally, Etro, Trussardi, Diesel, Mangano, Lagerfeld, Pepe Jeans but notably Matinique, H&M, Guess and Tom Ford for his consecutive seasons with the brands. On June 26, 2009, Forbes ranked Jon Kortajarena 8th in The World's 10 Most Successful Male Models.
Kortajarena currently ranks No. 8 on MODELS.com's Top 50 Male Models, and at No. 7 on their Top 25 The Money Guys list.

Kortajarena was discovered while vacationing in Barcelona when he went with a friend who got invited to attend a fashion show. There, Eduardo Sayás, a booker from View Management, noticed him and persuaded him to give the fashion world a go. His first professional experience was in Cibeles fashion show for Roberto Verino. Being a minor then, he had to convince his parents to let him travel to Paris. So he left Bilbao, his hometown, and started stepping into fashion in the French capital. In 2004, at the age of 18, Kortajarena became the face of Just Cavalli for Roberto Cavalli's spring campaign which quickly jet started his career. He made his international fashion show debut at the fall Milan and Paris fashion weeks for Emporio Armani and John Galliano. Two months later, in New York, Steven Meisel photographed him for Versace. Kortajarena's other runway credentials include walking for Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, Giorgio Armani, John Galliano, and Chanel in Milan and Paris. Kortajarena appeared in a commercial for the sugar-free, Fanta Z “Mediterraneo”, a TV ad in 2005 which poked fun at the departed Fanta Lite. Its content, though, quickly drew complaints in Britain and it eventually became restricted to the post-9pm broadcasts.



In 2007, Kortajarena signed with GUESS? and renewed his contract again in 2008. With new campaigns on the stands at once Terry Richardson photographs Kortajarena for Tom Ford alongside Noah Mills and would become the label’s signature male model for the next consecutive seasons. He was featured on the cover of the spring/summer 2008 issue of L'Officiel Hommes magazine, devoting him 200 pages, with the cover title reading “200 Pages of Fashion with Jon Kortajarena”. It was the first time a male model had achieved this and consequently it became a reference in the industry, other models to follow such honor were Andres Velencoso and Arthur Sales. In various campaigns, Kortajarena is known to be portrayed as having a foot fetish such as in Tom Ford's s/s 2008 eyewear ad, and in the latest s/s 2009 ads for Brian Atwood and Diesel. For the 2009 spring men’s wear and eyewear advertising campaigns Jon was art directed and photographed, for the first time, by Tom Ford himself. On June 26, 2009, Forbes published its list of The World's 10 Most Successful Male Models ranking Kortajarena in 8th place. In November Kortajarena was named by German GQ as Model of the Year. Also Spain's Marie Claire awards "Prix de la Moda" awarded him Best Spanish Model for 2009. Ending the year, Kortajarena appeared in Tom Ford's directorial debut, A Single Man. Although he appeared for only five-minutes he became memorable as Carlos with his James Dean looks. Jon emerged as the one to watch.

Breaking into 2010 with ad campaigns for H&M, True Trussardi and Esprit; Kortajarena modeled alongside Alexa Chung for Pepe Jeans fall/winter Campaign. He was in the Next autumn/winter campaign and in its TV advert that launched on September 10, alongside Emanuela de Paula. In 2011 he became one of the models to star in Lacoste's $66 million new advertising concept under the new tagline, “Unconventional Chic”. The ads were shot by Mert and Marcus showing models wearing the iconic white Lacoste polo shirts worn over eveningwear.

His mother is a hairdresser and the one who does his hair. Kortajarena is good friends with fellow models Andres Velencoso, Oriol Elcacho, Angelique Dhaze and Matteo Casnici. If he weren't modeling he'd be studying Publicity and Public Relations; however, he notes that interior designing, cinema and photography are some fields he has always been curious about. His hobbies include watching independent films, reading books by Paulo Coelho, sunbathing, going to the mountains with friends, and listening to music. He describes himself as an ultimate romantic. Some of his other favorite novels include Perfume, The Wheel of Life by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, and Siddhartha.

source:Google,Fashionbeans,Wikipedia

Style Icon - Baptiste Giabiconi

Enough of his glittering career, style wise he is an inspirational figure. Of course with him being a model for Chanel he has accessibility to a vast range of clothes that most of us only wish we had access to. However you can dress just as well as Baptiste by spending a tenth of the value of the clothes he wears. The most important lesson we can learn from looking at his look book above is the sense of knowing what items will work TOGETHER, no matter what they may look like separately.

Baptiste wears clothes that you might not necessarily consider as being suitable for wearing down the street – yes I’m talking about the denim short shorts, but I have to say I like it. The combination of the shorts with the black boots and the check shirt/printed jacket may not fit everyone’s taste, but it is cause for applause because he wears what he wants and owns it. Obviously outfits with as much flair and statement pieces as he wears would be most suited to the major high fashion cities (London, Paris, the big European Capitals etc.) but you can take away important aspects of his personal style such as how to layer, mix patterns/colours and in particular how to make traditional outfits your own with key accessories and pieces. I particularly love how he has mixed in a desert scarf and pocket chain with a grey formal suit , and used a wide oversized tie with a three piece in order to create his own youthful and edgy take on such a standard outfit.
This leads me onto a detail I’d like raise about the clothes he wears. Baptiste’s clothes more often than not have a printed pattern which adds character to the outfit. If you’re a bit bored of plain pieces, then trying a jacket with a print design on it, or a patterned trouser may be an ideal way of injecting some life into your wardrobe and personal style. Even adding a print patterned scarf to a tailored outfit adds character to the look. Just remember to keep the rest of your outfit more solid and muted, in order to not become an over the top caricature. What I have also noticed is that Baptiste’s sometimes uses velvet trousers in his tailored looks. This is a great twist to the standard suit and adds a character and personality to it. Velvet is particularly big this season, as it is being heavily promoted by the likes of Tom Ford in his own tailoring collections. As an everyday male, experimenting with different materials is definitely worth thinking about, as it will make you stand out from the crowd and adds texture to your whole wardrobe. If you’re not too keen on the idea of velvet trousers then something more subtle like a tailored blazer with a velvet trim is perfect.

Finally, as you can probably see, Baptiste certainly has a penchant for jewellery. Now sometimes it can look over the top, but I think it is a great way of adding some individuality to a look. Matt Allinson went over men’s jewellery earlier on in the week, but using a pocket chain or a couple of bracelets or neck chains can just add that little bit extra to any outfit and separate you from the crowd. When Baptiste uses just a couple of pieces it looks great, but he can go the other way and use 5 rings, a couple of bracelets and neck chains on top, which ends up a little bit much. So try incorporating jewellery into your wardrobe but keep it subtle and not garish.

Baptiste Giabiconi Informations

Baptiste Giabiconi (born November 9, 1989) is a French male model from Marseille, France. He is currently the male face of Chanel, Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld.

In 2008, Giabiconi signed with DNA Model Management New York. In the same year Karl Lagerfeld took Giabiconi as the male face of Chanel, closing their haute couture shows in 2009 with Freja Beha Erichsen and Lara Stone and in 2010 with Abbey Lee and Iris Strubegger.
He has also appeared in editorials for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Numero Homme, V Man, Marie Claire, Purple, Giorgio Armani and L'Officiel Hommes.
 In spring 2010, he was photographed for the Roberto Cavalli campaign, alongside Kate Moss and became the face of Coca Cola Light, alongside Coco Rocha.

He is currently the most successful male model in the world on models.com list of the Top 50 international male models, as of December 2010 ahead of Sean O'Pry and Simon Nessman.

In 2009, supermodel Naomi Campbell met Giabiconi in Moscow and told him, “It’s not right: We all have defects. You have none.”
In an interview with Karl Lagerfeld described Giabiconi as “a boy version of Gisele Bundchen: skinny, skinny but with an athletic body — good for clothes and great with no clothes.”

source:Google ,Fashionbeans ,Wikipedia