Charlene from Austin, TX writes, “Everyone is doing an end-of-year wrap-up. I’d love to see one from you. How about it?”
Thanks, Charlene for your question (and homework assignment!) Actually, it’s my pleasure to bring you my list of the beauty and fashion news that captured our attention this year. As 2011 draws to a close, I present EverBeautiful‘s Year in Beauty and Fashion:
Here’s to a beautiful and fashionable 2012!
John Galliano famously, or rather, infamously, ousted as head designer at Dior after a public anti-Semitic rant in a Paris bar, February 2011.
Diffusion lines proliferate as high end designers collaborate with mass merchants and cater to a heretofore untapped market. Fashionistas everywhere rejoice. Some notable collaborations: Versace for H&M, Missoni for Target, Karl Lagerfeld for Macy’s, Jason Wu for Target (announced 10/11; in stores and online 2/12.)
Kate Middleton marries Prince William in Alexander McQueen designed by Sarah Burton, April 2011, but it’s sis Pippa who arguably steals the fashion spotlight in a Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen creation that causes her to be dubbed “her royal hotness.†Knockoffs of the bum-enhancing dress sell out immediately worldwide.
Designers including Karl Lagerfeld, Kate Spade, Alber Elbaz and Victoria Beckham and beauty brands including Temptu create unique wares or donate proceeds of sales to aid Japan in the aftermath of the hurricane and tsunami that devastated parts of that country, March 2011.
Savage Beauty, the Alexander McQueen retrospective that showed at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum, May 4 – August 7, received a record number of visitors (657,802) to become the most popular show in the history of the Met’s Costume Institute.
As diffusion lines of high end designers expand, luxury brands including Hermès, Prada, Michael Kors and Burberry, report record earnings for the year making 2011 a year of fashion contrasts.
The sale of false eyelashes spikes almost 400% over last year, according to a report in the British press. Ditto fake nails.
The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, an industry watchdog group, cracks down on photoshopped cosmetic ads causing Proctor and Gamble to pull an ad for CoverGirl mascara. Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority bans at least two cosmetics ad for excessive photoshopping.
Nail polish sales increased by 59% in 2011, according to the NPD Group, a market research firm. The inference: women are spending less on professional salon manicures and opting to do their own nails at home.
The Brazilian Blowout, a process that smooths and straightens hair, and the Food and Drug Administration duke it out over formaldehyde levels in the popular keratin treatment. In April, the FDA tells the company to lower levels of the deadly chemical or it will be banned. The fighting continues and the company releases Brazilian Blowout Zero which it claims contains no formaldehyde.
Sales of hair extensions soar. Most notable hair trend: sporting feathers in your locks. Sales of feathers soar causing a scarcity and skyrocketing prices.
Evelyn Lauder, beloved beauty magnate and philanthropist who created the Pink Ribbon campaign in support of breast cancer awareness and research, dies of ovarian cancer, November 12, 2011.
Great wrap up of the year in beauty and fashion. Everbeautiful writing!
Thank you for the nice comment! It was an interesting year – in so many ways. The most apparent thing to me, however, is how – as always – fashion and beauty companies, and those who love them, stepped up in times of need. Who says fashion is frivolous? Happy Holidays!
Fabulous job! Best news of the year roundup I’ve read or seen. A must read for every fashionista, beautyista and trend follower.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. I enjoyed researching and writing it. Happy New Year. It will be fun to see what 2012 brings in the way of beauty and fashion.