It's hard to believe Prabal Gurung just launched his namesake collection two years ago. The designer, who was raised in Nepal, has had a meteoric rise, dressing everyone from Michelle Obama to Oprah Winfrey to young star Hailee Steinfeld at the Golden Globe Awards this year.

His fall collection was his best yet -- daring, sensual and intoxicatingly beautiful.

After the show, Gurung made an interesting point about who is buying his clothes. "Like it or not, the market is not American. It's international. And those customers are buying European designers because they think their clothes are special."

How to compete with Chanel and Valentino? "I had to push myself beyond my comfort zone," he said. "It can't all be about sportswear."

Instead, he gave us red carpet-worthy va va voom, more Parisian chic than American utilitarian. Gurung said his collection was inspired by Dickens' spinster character Miss Havisham. But his models looked more like they had come to life from the pages of a bodice ripper.

The first look, modeled by Karlie Kloss, was a crimson washed-silk dress, artfully draped with an exposed tulle bustier revealing a heady amount of decolletage. The below-the-knee length was completely refreshing, especially with Wolford's bondage-themed, criss-cross patterned "Hero" stockings. Add black leather half gloves, and pink streaks in the models' hair, and it made for an edgy spin on old-world glamour.

For daytime, an ivory wool sheath was adorned with black Chantilly lace panels, and a fox fur jacket came dyed ombre pink.

Other highlights included a pink-and-red, cap-sleeved crinkle chiffon gown anchored with a black leather belt, and a tulle dress embroidered with handpainted gold and silver sequins and feathers that seemed to peel away, evoking a fragile beauty.

Special indeed.

--Booth Moore in New York

Photos: Looks from the Prabal Gurung fall-winter 2011 runway collection shown during New York Fashion Week. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson and Peter Stigter / For The Times.

The name Carey Mulligan is synonymous with the terms chic, alternative and all-around fashion it-girl. Wherever the petite, pixie-haired actress goes, she is sure to be dressed in stunning designer frocks that are far from ordinary. With the sparkling, cosmic Chanel sequin dress and jeweled cape at the Vogue Fashion Fund Awards and the countless gowns and dresses she’s worn while promoting the film “Never Let Me Go,” Mulligan shows it’s a good thing to break away from the classics. 

Mulligan's style choices exemplify a fearless free spirit, one that has the fashion world taking notice. Not only is she a regular on best-dressed lists for numerous fashion magazines and websites, but she also earned a spot on Vogue's coveted 10 Best Dressed list of 2010.

At the Moet British Independent Film Awards, Mulligan owned the red carpet in a Prabal Gurung poppy-colored dress with a large flower detail on her chest and a cinched waist. She paired the stunning red dress with a sparkly sequined Roger Vivier clutch and black peep-toe heels. The actress officially took home the award for best actress for her role in "Never Let Me Go," but she gets our award for best dressed of the night. The color of her dress and the chest detail speak for themselves, and the sparkly clutch is the perfect, delicate finishing touch.

A tasteful red dress is a way to stand out -- in a good way -- at those upcoming holiday parties. Here are a few rouge-colored frocks for less than $100 that will have you relishing the holiday spirit:
T Tahari red dress from Nordstrom for $99.50, one-shoulder red French Connection dress from Bluefly.com for $89.59, Sparkle and Fade chiffon dress from Urban Outfitters for $69 and the Winter Rose strapless dress from Ann Taylor for $99.99. 

 

 

For just a touch of sparkle, pair one of these clutches with a holiday party outfit or evening wear: Lulu Townsend sequined clutch from DSW for $36.95, Kate Landry "peacock" clutch from Dillards for $35 or the Sequin slouchy bag from Express for $39.90. Since the sparkly clutch is the essential party accessory, you'll need to find the perfect one for you, so check out more frugal finds from resident stylist Melissa Magsaysay.

Now that you're set with a new red dress and sparkly clutch, all you'll need is a pair of super simple heels to finish the look. A pair of solid-colored black heels from your own closet should do.

Happy shopping.

Have an outfit you're dying to buy but need a frugal alternative? E-mail us a picture. We're up for the challenge.

-- Jenn Harris

jenn.harris@latimes.com

Photos, from top: Actress Carey Mulligan attends the Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London. Credit: Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images. Tahari dress from Nordstrom. French Connection dress from Bluefly.com. Sparkle and Fade dress from Urban Outfitters. Winter Rose dress from Ann Taylor. Lulu Townsend clutch from DSW. Kate Landry clutch from Dillards. Sequin bag from Express. 

 

 

 

 
Despite the dreary weather and what was originally supposed to be an outdoor venue, celebrities, stylists and fashion supporters flocked to the Chateau Marmont on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the 2010 finalists of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

The finalists, who this year include Joseph Altuzarra of Altuzarra, Robert Geller, Pamela Love, Prabal Gurung, Billy Reid, Christian Cota, Moss Lipow, Oliver Helden and Paul Marlow of Loden Dager, Gregory Parkinson and Eddie Borgo, presented several looks from their spring/summer 2011 collections to the crowd who had been stealthily relocated from the garden of the hotel to the inside lounge. Event hosts Frederic Fekkai and Vogue’s West Coast senior editor Lisa Love sat front row among celebrities such as Eva Mendes, Marisa Tomei, Emily Mortimer and Molly Sims, most of whom are no strangers to a fashion show, yet all showed enthusiastic support for the designers’ collections (Mendes even wore one of Cota’s designs to the event).

Models glided down the living room-like setting of the hotel’s lounge in spring styles so fresh one forgot the overcast skies for a moment. The hair (done by Fekkai and Renato Campora) added a Southern California-esque feel, pulled back into tousled low ponytails, adding an easy, casual vibe to the runway looks. But it was another aspect of Southern California that had the crowd smiling and cheering -– L.A based designer Parkinson, whose effective use of mixing colorful textiles and flowy bohemian silhouettes have long been a hometown favorite as well as a hit with the global fashion community.

His applause was noticeably more thunderous than the other finalists, and the designer humbly thanked his L.A based friends/fan club for the generous support. “In a few years, I will have lived in L.A for as long as I lived in England. This really is my adoptive home,” Parkinson said. “The people here today have been a part of my life for many years and this is incredibly emotional. And nobody, nobody could ask for a better cheer!”

Several other L.A. based designers were present at the event. Jasmine Shokrian and former CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist Juan Carlos Obando were in attendance and confessed their adoration of Eddie Borgo’s intense and rather large accessories. “His jewelry has a kick to it!” Obando said. “And jewelry should be decadent. Wearing Eddie’s jewelry is like you’re wearing precious toys … shiny, pointy, dangerous toys. What else could a girl want?”

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photo: Marisa Tomei, left, Frederic Fekkai and Eva Mendes watch the L.A fashion show of this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists at the Chateau Marmont. Credit: WireImage

For some reason this season, Prabal Gurung was anointed the new kid to watch. When he staged his first runway show in the Tents on Saturday, everyone was there -- department store buyers, magazine editors, even a celeb or two.

Why? Who knows. Oprah's a fan, the designer has a quirky name (pronounced Praa-ball) and a cute face, he grew up in Katmandu, started his career in India, and was design director at Bill Blass for five years.

Sculpted coats and skirts in camel, black and white wool cashmere with curvilinear seams had a Blass feel to them, but a bit too much bulk, and the floating panels, peplums and double layers weren't incorporated well enough into the designs.

One-shouldered silk gazar dresses, distinguished by sculptural ruffles, didn't feel that special either.

The best look -- a motocross-inspired minidress that was a patchwork of metallic oxidized lace and wool faille. Too bad he didn't stay focused on that technique a little longer.

-- Booth Moore in New York

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Photos of Prabal Gurung's fall 2010 runway in New York. Credit: Stefan Gosatti / Getty Images