Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen

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Mary-Kate Olsen might have taken a front row seat at Proenza Schouler to check out the designing duo’s fall ‘09 line, but the star was also showing off something new of her and sister Ashley’s own design: Elizabeth and James shoes! The pint-size designer coordinated her turquoise dress and white Elizabeth and James blazer with a pair of black suede wedge heels from the new Elizabeth and James shoe line due out this spring. Mary-Kate’s pair are actually a prototype directly from the factory and is the line’s take on an ankle bootie, but with a sexy cut-out to show more skin. Wonder what fellow front row-er Nicole Richie thought of Mary-Kate’s design? Tell us: What do you think of Mary-Kate’s heels?

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Courtesy of Interview

Mary-Kate Olsen has been capturing audiences since her Full House days — at first with her adorable smile and now with her unique fashion sense. Interview got the actress on the phone for a surprisingly candid chat. Turns out that Mary-Kate’s love for fashion didn’t come from reading magazines or even shopping, “For me, [fashion] really started by looking at people. When you’re walking down the street, or you’re at a restaurant, someone catches your eye because they have their own look. It goes way beyond what they’re wearing-into their mannerisms, the way they smile, or just the way they hold themselves.” Mary-Kate also credits being a twin to her late-blooming fashion gene. “Until we were 13 or 14, if my sister and I did an appearance, we would be wearing the same outfit,” says MK. But, for as long as she can remember, she and Ashley have had different taste. “Ashley was more into florals and baggier clothes.” Mary-Kate on the other hand, always had the more outrageous taste. “I think my first favorite clothing item was a pair of spandex shorts with fringe on them! Leopard and white spandex.” And thanks to their petite size, they’ve always thought about how clothing fits. “When I was young, clothes were really just about what fit, because Ashley and I were so tiny. So I understood fit before I understood style.” As for their lines The Row and Elizabeth and James, they move through the design process together. “An idea will come, whether it’s from a movie or a person or a character or a place . . . Then we go through color, silhouettes, and fabric. We sort of put it all together, finding the common threads,” says Mary-Kate. Read more of what Mary-Kate has to say about her early days on television and how she handles the rumor mill at Interviewmagazine.com”.

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For six seasons, Ashley and Mary-Kate’s high-end women’s line The Row has been flying off store shelves. Stars like Katie Holmes, Heidi Klum, Gwyneth Paltrow and more have all been spotted wearing looks from the line. Now, the designing duo is expanding their line into menswear with a 35 piece Fall ‘09 collection. Like The Row’s women’s collection, the men’s line will combine classic tailoring with comfortable American sportswear. From cashmere overcoats and jackets to chunky knits and soft T-shirts, men can now incorporate the Olsen’s coveted designs into their own wardrobes. The collection will range in price from $250 for a t-shirt to $3,200 for an overcoat, and store availability is still to be determined. We think it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing some of Hollywood’s hottest guys in The Row as well.

INF

A celebrity nearly from birth, Ashley Olsen is the last person you’d expect to get stage jitters. But at last night’s Fashion Group International’s 25th annual Night of Stars in N.Y.C., where she was slated to give a speech honoring Calvin Klein’s creative director Francisco Costa, the star admitted to PEOPLE, “I’m nervous,” adding wryly, “There’s a story there.” The actress, clad in a Calvin Klein column dress, arrived on Costa’s arm, and got a head-start praising her friend, saying, “When I first moved to New York, he’s the guy that really captured my eye. I followed [his work].” For his part, Costa was no less effusive about Olsen’s designs for her labels The Row and Elizabeth & James — especially when it came to the perfect fit of The Row’s pants. “They are actually great,” he said. “In fact, I was with Lauren Hutton. And I said, ‘You look so great!’ And she said, ‘It’s The Row.’ I was just so jealous.” So what does he think accounts for Olsen’s style success? “She really understands herself,” he says. “It’s mostly just what she feels comfortable wearing. It’s her eye.” Olsen sees the same in Costa. “I think it is all in the details for him,” she says. “It’s all in his head. Even if it looks like just a simple garment, you can go up to it and see the details that not many people would consider while fitting a garment.” – Jeffrey Slonim

Richard Young/startraks

Fashionistas and fans alike are buzzing about Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s new book Influence, filled with photos and essays on the twins. And now, you can not only buy the tome but you can meet the stylish siblings in person by going to one of their book signings. In their blog, Ashley alerts her fans that they’ll be in stores in N.Y.C. and Los Angeles in the next few weeks for in-person signings. So if you are in N.Y.C on Tuesday October 28, swing by the Barnes and Noble at Union Square at 12:30 pm. But if you’re in Los Angeles, you’ll have to wait until November 12 to see Mary-Kate and Ashley at the Borders in Westwood at 7 pm. And if you can’t make it in person, you can still pick up the coffee table book at amazon.com, $24, now.

Richard Young/startraks

With their new jewelry collection just hitting stores now, co-designers already have their sights set on another venture: shoes! Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have joined forces with Steve Madden Ltd. to create a line of footwear to add to their successful sportswear collection Elizabeth and James. “We are excited to partner with Steve Madden to create the new Elizabeth and James footwear line,” Mary-Kate says in a released statement. “With their proven experience in all aspects of design, production and distribution, we intend to take the contemporary shoe market to a new level.” Mary-Kate and Ashley will drive the creative direction of the Elizabeth and James shoe collection towards the sophisticated and chic woman they already cater to. “Mary-Kate and I found Steve Madden to truly understand our design philosophy, and how we want this brand to grow over the coming years,” Ashley told the press. “They have the resources and talent to help execute our vision for the Elizabeth and James brand.” The line is scheduled to hit high-end specialty retailers in mid-2009 and we cannot wait! Mary-Kate and Ashley have always had outrageous taste in shoes, from sky-high gladiator sandals to trendy peep-toe booties, so we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us. Pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE to hear what Mary-Kate and Ashley have to say about their jewelry collection.

Alex Cao; Richard Young/startraks

When we first heard Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were joining forces with famed jewelry designer Robert Lee Morris to create pieces for their successful Elizabeth and James line, we were excited and curious. Now the pieces have already hit Intermix for fall pre-order, and we like what we see so far. While the whole collection isn’t up there — the twins and Morris designed over 80 pieces! — all the pieces are edgy and clearly Olsen-inspired. From an antique looking gold snake ring, $125, to a fierce dagger charm necklace, $525, the Olsens and their celebrity fans are sure to be spotted wearing these funky designs soon. Tell us: What do you think of the new Elizabeth & James jewelry? Are you going to buy it?