DURING A SPECIAL EVENING SESSION OF THE HOUSE'S VINTAGE COUTURE AND ACCESSORIES AUCTION ON 11.APRIL, LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS WILL OFFER A COLLECTION OF GARMENTS OWNED BY GLADYS KNIGHT, A SEVEN TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER KNOWN TO HER FANS AS 'THE EMPRESS OF SOUL'. KNIGHT, WHO BEGAN HER ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS LEAD VOCALIST OF GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS, WORE THE 57 DAZZLING OUTFITS THROUGHOUT HER STORIED CAREER AT PERFORMANCES AND AWARD CEREMONIES. HER COLLECTION DEPICTS THE EVOLUTION OF HER PERSONAL STYLE ACROSS MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. GLADYS KNIGHT WAS BORN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA ON 24.MAY.1944. HER FIRST TASTE OF STARDOM CAME AT THE AGE OF SEVEN, WHEN SHE WON TED MACK'S ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR CONTEST. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SHE, HER BROTHER MERALD, SISTER BRENDA AND COUSINS WILLIAM AND ELEANOR GUEST FORMED A GROUP CALLED 'THE PIPS', AFTER ANOTHER COUSIN, JAMES 'PIP' WOODS. BY 1960 THE PIPS BEGAN TOURING, EVENTUALLY SIGNING WITH MOTOWN RECORDS AND OPENING FOR DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES. GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS COUNT AMONG THEIR HIT SINGLES 'I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE', 'FRIENDSHIP TRAIN' AND 'IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN'. IN 1973 THE GROUP LEFT MOTOWN TO SIGN WITH BUDDAH RECORDS, LANDING A MAJOR HIT WITH GRAMMY-WINNER 'MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA'. AFTER THE PIPS RETIRED IN 1988, KNIGHT EMBARKED ON AN ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL SOLO CAREER. SHE HAS RECEIVED WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM FOR HER SINGLES WHICH HAVE TOPPED THE ALBUM CHARTS. ENSEMBLES FROM DESIGNERS SUCH AS BOB MACKIE, TONY CHASE AND OLEG CASSINI COVER APPEARANCES MADE BY KNIGHT IN RECENT YEARS TO AS EARLY AS THE 1970s. THE MAGNIFICENTLY BRILLIANT COLOURS, TEXTURES AND MATERIALS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT EACH GOWN IS NOT JUST SOMETHING KNIGHT WORE, BUT A WAY OF HEIGHTENING THE EXPERIENCE OF A PERFORMANCE. 'THESE DRESSES ARE AS EXCITING S ANY WE'VE HANDLED FROM A PROMINENT COLLECTION', SAID AUCTIONEER LESLIE HINDMAN. 'IT'S AN HONORED TO BE HANDLING A PART OF MUSIC HISTORY.'

LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS TO PRESENT GARMENTS FROM GLADYS KNIGHT

DURING A SPECIAL EVENING SESSION OF THE HOUSE'S VINTAGE COUTURE AND ACCESSORIES AUCTION ON 11.APRIL, LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS WILL OFFER A COLLECTION OF GARMENTS OWNED BY GLADYS KNIGHT, A SEVEN TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER KNOWN TO HER FANS AS 'THE EMPRESS OF SOUL'. KNIGHT, WHO BEGAN HER ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS LEAD VOCALIST OF GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS, WORE THE 57 DAZZLING OUTFITS THROUGHOUT HER STORIED CAREER AT PERFORMANCES AND AWARD CEREMONIES. HER COLLECTION DEPICTS THE EVOLUTION OF HER PERSONAL STYLE ACROSS MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. GLADYS KNIGHT WAS BORN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA ON 24.MAY.1944. HER FIRST TASTE OF STARDOM CAME AT THE AGE OF SEVEN, WHEN SHE WON TED MACK'S ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR CONTEST. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SHE, HER BROTHER MERALD, SISTER BRENDA AND COUSINS WILLIAM AND ELEANOR GUEST FORMED A GROUP CALLED 'THE PIPS', AFTER ANOTHER COUSIN, JAMES 'PIP' WOODS. BY 1960 THE PIPS BEGAN TOURING, EVENTUALLY SIGNING WITH MOTOWN RECORDS AND OPENING FOR DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES. GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS COUNT AMONG THEIR HIT SINGLES 'I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE', 'FRIENDSHIP TRAIN' AND 'IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN'. IN 1973 THE GROUP LEFT MOTOWN TO SIGN WITH BUDDAH RECORDS, LANDING A MAJOR HIT WITH GRAMMY-WINNER 'MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA'. AFTER THE PIPS RETIRED IN 1988, KNIGHT EMBARKED ON AN ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL SOLO CAREER. SHE HAS RECEIVED WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM FOR HER SINGLES WHICH HAVE TOPPED THE ALBUM CHARTS. ENSEMBLES FROM DESIGNERS SUCH AS BOB MACKIE, TONY CHASE AND OLEG CASSINI COVER APPEARANCES MADE BY KNIGHT IN RECENT YEARS TO AS EARLY AS THE 1970s. THE MAGNIFICENTLY BRILLIANT COLOURS, TEXTURES AND MATERIALS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT EACH GOWN IS NOT JUST SOMETHING KNIGHT WORE, BUT A WAY OF HEIGHTENING THE EXPERIENCE OF A PERFORMANCE. 'THESE DRESSES ARE AS EXCITING S ANY WE'VE HANDLED FROM A PROMINENT COLLECTION', SAID AUCTIONEER LESLIE HINDMAN. 'IT'S AN HONORED TO BE HANDLING A PART OF MUSIC HISTORY.'

LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS TO PRESENT GARMENTS FROM GLADYS KNIGHT

FAMED FRENCH LUXURY DESIGNER HERMES HAS RECENTLY CREATED THE ULTIMATE ACCESSORY FOR THE WORLD'S BEST-DRESSED GENTLEMAN, A VALET STAND IN SOLID MAHOGANY, FINE LEATHER AND BRASS WITH EBONY DETAILING. THE STUNNING LUXE PIECE, DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE A FULL SUIT OF GENTLEMAN'S CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES, IS A LIMITED EDITION RE-ISSUE OF A CLASSIC ITEM CREATED FOR HERMES IN 1930 BY FAMED FRENCH DECORATOR AND DESIGNER PAUL DUPRE-LAFON. THE ORIGINAL WAS SOLD BY SOTHEBY'S AT ITS ART NOUVEAU 7 ART DECO SALE IN PARIS IN 2007 FOR AN ESTIMATED $65,000. THE STAND, WITH AN ART DECO AND VINTAGE FLAIR, FEATURES A CALFSKIN HANGER FOR THE SUIT, A CALFSKIN TRAY FOR WATCHES AND JEWELRY, A MAHOGANY SHOE RACK AT THE BASE, AND BRASS HOOKS AND RODS FOR TIES AND BELTS. WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $3,000 THE UNIQUE CREATION WILL BE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT HERMES BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE.

HERMES GENTLEMEN'S VALET

FAMED FRENCH LUXURY DESIGNER HERMES HAS RECENTLY CREATED THE ULTIMATE ACCESSORY FOR THE WORLD'S BEST-DRESSED GENTLEMAN, A VALET STAND IN SOLID MAHOGANY, FINE LEATHER AND BRASS WITH EBONY DETAILING. THE STUNNING LUXE PIECE, DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE A FULL SUIT OF GENTLEMAN'S CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES, IS A LIMITED EDITION RE-ISSUE OF A CLASSIC ITEM CREATED FOR HERMES IN 1930 BY FAMED FRENCH DECORATOR AND DESIGNER PAUL DUPRE-LAFON. THE ORIGINAL WAS SOLD BY SOTHEBY'S AT ITS ART NOUVEAU 7 ART DECO SALE IN PARIS IN 2007 FOR AN ESTIMATED $65,000. THE STAND, WITH AN ART DECO AND VINTAGE FLAIR, FEATURES A CALFSKIN HANGER FOR THE SUIT, A CALFSKIN TRAY FOR WATCHES AND JEWELRY, A MAHOGANY SHOE RACK AT THE BASE, AND BRASS HOOKS AND RODS FOR TIES AND BELTS. WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $3,000 THE UNIQUE CREATION WILL BE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT HERMES BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE.

HERMES GENTLEMEN'S VALET

THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD HAS RECENTLY RELEASED THE STUNNING MOUAWAD 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE, THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE HANDBAG, VALUED AT A STAGGERING $3.8 MILLION. THE DAZZLING CREATION WAS DESIGNED BY ROBERT MOUAWAD AND HANDCRAFTED BY 10 ARTISANS IN OVER 8,800 HOURS. THE HEART-SHAPED PURSE INCORPORATES 18 CARAT GOLD AND 4,517 DIAMONDS, 105 YELLOW, 56 PINK AND 4,356 COLOURLESS, WITH A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 381.92 CARATS. THE PURSE WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE DOHA JEWELRY AND WATCH EXHIBITION OVER THE RECENT WEEKEND, AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO CONFIRMATION IF ANYONE HAS PURCHASED IT. THE HANDBAG IS THE SECOND RECORD-BREAKING ATTEMPT FROM THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1890. IN 2003, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS CERTIFIED, 'THE VERY SEXY FANTASY BRA', WHICH WAS PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH VICTORIA'S SECRET, AS THE MOST EXPENSIVE BRA EVER MADE WITH A VALUE OF $1 MILLION.

MOUAWAD'S $3.8 MILLION 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE

THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD HAS RECENTLY RELEASED THE STUNNING MOUAWAD 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE, THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE HANDBAG, VALUED AT A STAGGERING $3.8 MILLION. THE DAZZLING CREATION WAS DESIGNED BY ROBERT MOUAWAD AND HANDCRAFTED BY 10 ARTISANS IN OVER 8,800 HOURS. THE HEART-SHAPED PURSE INCORPORATES 18 CARAT GOLD AND 4,517 DIAMONDS, 105 YELLOW, 56 PINK AND 4,356 COLOURLESS, WITH A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 381.92 CARATS. THE PURSE WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE DOHA JEWELRY AND WATCH EXHIBITION OVER THE RECENT WEEKEND, AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO CONFIRMATION IF ANYONE HAS PURCHASED IT. THE HANDBAG IS THE SECOND RECORD-BREAKING ATTEMPT FROM THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1890. IN 2003, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS CERTIFIED, 'THE VERY SEXY FANTASY BRA', WHICH WAS PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH VICTORIA'S SECRET, AS THE MOST EXPENSIVE BRA EVER MADE WITH A VALUE OF $1 MILLION.

MOUAWAD'S $3.8 MILLION 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE

ICONIC LUXURY FRENCH FASHION LABEL FACONNABLE, BRON FROM A TAILOR'S ATELIER IN NICE IN THE 1950s, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE FIRST CHOICE FOR FASHION FORWARD MEN'S DESIGN. NOW THE COMPANY, WHICH IS COMMITTED TO INNOVATION, QUALITY FABRICS, IMPECCABLE CUTS AND SINGULAR DETAILS, IS LAUNCHING A NEW LINE CALLED FACONNABLE JEANS, ADDING A CONTEMPORARY SPIN TO ITS PORTFOLIO. INSPIRED BY THE RELAXED LIFESTYLE OF THE COTE D'AZUR, FACONNABLE JEANS OFFERS THE BEST OF THE WORLD OF DENIM WHILE ADHERING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF FINE TAILORING THE BRAND IS KNOWN FOR. REFINED STITCHING; THE FINEST MATERIALS SUCH AS JAPANESE CHAMBRAY; AND CONTEMPORARY FITS DISTINGUISH THE NEW COLLECTION, WHILE PREWASHING AND HAND FINISHING GUARANTEE A SOFT FEEL AND UNIQUE PATINA. THE NEW COLLECTION ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN JUST JEANS TO ROUND OUT THE WARDROBE, INCLUDING KHAKIS, WASHED COTTON POLOS AND T-SHIRTS, AND VARIOUS STYLES OF JACKETS, ALONG WITH STYLISH ACCESSORIES SUCH AS POCKET SQUARES AND HANDMADE TIES, SHOES, BAGS, BELTS, SCARVES, CAPS AND BOXER SHORTS.

FACONNABLE LAUNCHES JEANS COLLECTION

ICONIC LUXURY FRENCH FASHION LABEL FACONNABLE, BRON FROM A TAILOR'S ATELIER IN NICE IN THE 1950s, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE FIRST CHOICE FOR FASHION FORWARD MEN'S DESIGN. NOW THE COMPANY, WHICH IS COMMITTED TO INNOVATION, QUALITY FABRICS, IMPECCABLE CUTS AND SINGULAR DETAILS, IS LAUNCHING A NEW LINE CALLED FACONNABLE JEANS, ADDING A CONTEMPORARY SPIN TO ITS PORTFOLIO. INSPIRED BY THE RELAXED LIFESTYLE OF THE COTE D'AZUR, FACONNABLE JEANS OFFERS THE BEST OF THE WORLD OF DENIM WHILE ADHERING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF FINE TAILORING THE BRAND IS KNOWN FOR. REFINED STITCHING; THE FINEST MATERIALS SUCH AS JAPANESE CHAMBRAY; AND CONTEMPORARY FITS DISTINGUISH THE NEW COLLECTION, WHILE PREWASHING AND HAND FINISHING GUARANTEE A SOFT FEEL AND UNIQUE PATINA. THE NEW COLLECTION ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN JUST JEANS TO ROUND OUT THE WARDROBE, INCLUDING KHAKIS, WASHED COTTON POLOS AND T-SHIRTS, AND VARIOUS STYLES OF JACKETS, ALONG WITH STYLISH ACCESSORIES SUCH AS POCKET SQUARES AND HANDMADE TIES, SHOES, BAGS, BELTS, SCARVES, CAPS AND BOXER SHORTS.

FACONNABLE LAUNCHES JEANS COLLECTION

HELEN MIRREN'S ELIZABETHAN DRESS FROM 'THE TEMPEST' IS COVERED WITH GOLD AND SILVER ZIPPERS, ALL THE WAY UP TO ITS RUFFLED COLLAR. THE HAT THAT MADE JOHNNY DEPP THE MAD HATTER IN 'ALICE IN WONDERLAND' WAS CRAFTED FROM IMPORTED ITALIAN LEATHER WOVEN WITH GOLD THREADS, AND IT WAS SIZED TO FIT THE FLUFFY ORANGE WIG HE WORE BENEATH IT. THE COSTUMES FROM 'TRUE GRIT' WERE MADE NEW, THEN AGED TO LOOK MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD, WHILE MUCH OF THE CLOTHING FROM 'THE KING'S SPEECH' WERE ORIGINAL PIECES FROM THE 1930s. FILM FANS AND FASHIONISTAS CAN GET AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT THESE OSCAR-NOMINATED OUTFITS AND NEARLY 100 OTHER MOVIE COSTUMES AT L.A.'s FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING's 19th ANNUAL ART OF MOTION PICTURE COSTUME DESIGN EXHIBITION, ON VIEW NOW. THE FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES COLLECTS AND DISPLAYS MOVIE COSTUMES TO ALLOW FUTURE FASHION DESIGNERS AND THE PUBLIC TO SEE THE CREATIVITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP BEHIND THE CLOTHING THAT MKES MEMORABLE CHARACTERS ON SCREEN, SAYS CURATOR AND FASHION HISTORIAN KEVIN JONES. OSCAR-NOMINATED COSTUME DESIGNER MARY ZOPHRES SPENT MONTHS RESEARCHING THE LOOK AND STYLE OF 1860s ARKANSAS, WHERE THE ADVENTURE OF 'TRUE GRIT' TAKES PLACE. ONCE SHE BECAME FLUENT IN THE ERA'S FASHIONS, SHE ORDERED MULTIPLE OUTFITS MADE FOR EACH CHARACTER, THEN HAD THE NEW CLOTHING AGED TO APPEAR ALMOST 140 YEARS OLD. HISTORICAL COSTUMES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE, ZOPHRES SAYS: 'THE EARLIER YOU GO, THE MORE MONEY IT COSTS.' PRODUCTION ON 'THE KING'S SPEECH' STARTED LESS THAN SIX WEEKS AFTER JENNY BEAVAN WAS HIRED TO DESIGN ITS COSTUMES, SO TO OUTFIT THE ROYAL 1930s DRAMA, SHE RENTED AS MANY ORIGINAL PIECES AS SHE COULD FROM A COSTUME HOUSE IN LONDON. WHAT SHE COULDN'T FIND, SHE MADE, INCLUDING THE SUITS WORN BY KING GEORGE VI (COLIN FIRTH) AND SEVERAL DRESSES WORN BY THE QUEEN MOTHER (HELEN BONHAM CARTER). FOR A PICTURE SET IN THE RECENT PAST, IT'S COMMON FOR COSTUMES TO USE A MIX OF RENTED ORIGINALS AND CUSTOM-MADE NEW PIECES, BEAVAN SAYS. THE FIDM EXHIBIT FEATURES FOUR OF OSCAR'S FIVE NOMINATED DESIGN NOMINEES, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ASSEMBLED BEFORE ACADEMY AWARDS NOMINEES WERE ANNOUNCED. OTHER FEATURED COSTUMES INCLUDED SEVERAL DAZZLING OUTFITS WORN BY CHRISTINA AGUILERA IN 'BURLESQUE', LEONARDO DI CAPRIO AND ELLEN PAGE'S CLOTHES FROM 'INCEPTION' AND AN OUTFIT FOR EACH CHARACTER IN 'THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT'. SOME OF THE MOST EYE-CATCHING COSTUMES INCLUDE THOSE FROM 'PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME' AND 'CLASH OF THE TITANS'.

FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES PRESENTS EXHIBITION ON OSCAR FASHIONS