Dresses

Courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff, Courtesy of Rebecca Taylor

So what happens when a great accessories designer launches clothes and a fabulous clothing designer adds accessories to her line? Two of the most anticipated spring collections from accessories ace Rebecca Minkoff and fashion designer Rebecca Taylor. With the help of celebrity stylist Ilaria Urbinati, the Rebecca Minkoff Collection is sexy yet edgy, with a flair for the extravagant. The line will consists of 25 pieces including jackets, skirts, tops and pants to dresses with prices ranging between $160-$800 (including this $295 “Morning After” dress). You can shop the entire collection now at rebeccaminkoff.com. If you are a little more frilly than edgy, look no further than Rebecca Taylor’s new shoes and handbags. Drawing inspiration from European flea markets and the free spirited traveler, Rebecca Taylor has created playful, downtown chic shoes and fanciful layered jewelry. Prices range from $300-$400. Shop selected shoe styles at shopchantal.com and shop selected styles of Rebecca Taylor jewelry at otteny.com.

Dan lecca

Victoria Beckham may have started her eponymous dress collection with 12 styles in September 2008, but she’s returned this Fashion Week with a expanded collection of gowns, jackets and embellished minis that has debuted to rave reviews. Style.com says, “These dresses look so well-made, so of-the-moment yet also timeless…that they do the talking for [Beckham]”. The International Herald Tribune found the designer as a stand-out among her celeb-designer peers: “Beckham has succeeded in creating a collection in her own image with playful gestures and with a sense that, unlike most celebrity lines, she would be proud and pleased to wear every piece herself.” And WWD seems to think Victoria might be evolving into a fashion heavy hitter. “Though too early to tell — a mere two collections into her second career — judging from the controlled lineup she showed on Sunday, it seems that [Beckham] may indeed be no lightweight. (Figuratively, that is. Formerly Posh is still a slip of a girl.)” PEOPLE caught up with the designer at Armani/5th Avenue store opening last night and she was still reeling from her her great reviews. “It’s been wonderful,” she gushed. “The reviews have been absolutely outstanding. The retail response has been wonderful. The sales grew, so far, over the previous collection. It has been phenomenal. The whole thing is mind-blowing to be honest. I love what I do.” We can’t wait to see Victoria wearing items from the new collection! Check out all the new looks at instyle.com. Tell us: What do you think of Victoria’s new dresses?

Click here to see all the Fashion Week coverage on PEOPLE.com!

courtesy Peggy Sirota/L.E.I

As if selling millions of albums isn’t enough, Taylor Swift has teamed up with teen favorite L.E.I. to produce a line of sundresses for Walmart. “I love dresses,” Taylor tells PEOPLE. “And I have always had this dream to make an affordable sundress line.” Taylor first teamed up with L.E.I. last year to star in their denim campaign, and now the Walmart brand will be releasing her dresses on February 1st. The singer, who will also star in the ads, looked to her own life for inspiration when it came to design. “I started brainstorming what I would wear this summer, on tour or hanging out at festivals when its hot outside,” Taylor says. The result: a collection of lightweight jersey dresses in bold colors and girly prints for just $14. “I was totally adamant that I wanted [the dresses] to be affordable. With my headlining tour, we are offering $20 tickets everywhere we go and I wanted to approach the sundress line in the same way,” says Taylor. “To have cute dresses under $20 is something I am really proud of.” Though the star prefers more comfortable fashions, she does love designer gowns for the red carpet. “My absolute favorite is the dress that I wore to the CMAs this year. It was the Kaufman Franco glittery one,” Taylor recalls of the dress that landed her on best dressed lists everywhere. “I love dresses that sparkle and that was the epitome of sparkly — it was like a walking mirror.” Before gearing up for her tour, the singer will be hitting the Grammy Awards on February 6th and while she doesn’t have her dress picked out yet, she does have a designer in mind, “It has always been my dream to wear an Oscar de la Renta gown. So someday in my life I will wear one.” Oscar, are you listening? Tell us: Will you pick up one of Taylor’s dresses?

Reuters /Landov

Designers from Kai Milla, Marc Bouwer, Reem Acra (who dressed Jill Biden for the big night) and Isabel Toledo, whom she wore to the Inauguration, all sketched potential options for the new First Lady, and the fashion world waited to see her choice with bated breath. Turns out that Michelle chose a one-shouldered silk chiffon Jason Wu number covered in organza flowers and Swarovski cyrstals — and no one was more surprised than the designer himself, who learned of Michelle’s choice with the rest of the world. “I was in awe when I saw her. I was emotional, I was amazed,” Wu tells PEOPLE. The N.Y.C.-based 26-year-old designer, who along with four friends sewed the countless number of flowers onto the dress by hand, says “I wanted the dress to reflect hope, fantasy, a dream [because] this is a pretty surreal moment we’re living in.” As for the color, Wu told Meredith Veira on the Today Show, “I wanted to design a gown that would highlight her best features.” To accent the feminine gown, Michelle chose diamonds from Loree Rodkin, who says “The First Lady is a symbol of hope, courage and great style. Words can not describe the emotions I feel that Michelle Obama has allowed me to be a part of this glorious moment.” From her line, Michelle chose 60-carat white gold and triple rose cut diamond drop earrings, a 10 carat center stone white gold and black rhodium rose cut diamond ring and white gold and diamond bangles, which will become part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum. Check out all of Michelle’s stylish choices from the historic weekend.

Reuters /Landov

A little rain didn’t stop the fashionistas from celebrating the unveiling of the D&G flagship store on Robertson Boulevard, benefiting Art of Elysium. Lauren Conrad planned ahead for the chilly night. “I wanted to wear tights, so I asked for a mini.” she tells PEOPLE of her black chiffon cocktail dress, which she paired with a Top Shop hair bow. Conrad says she has yet to decrease her shopping budget. “For me I’m cutting back everywhere except for shopping. I think being a designer I want to continue to support them right now. I think it’s a really scary time but if people stop spending it’s only going to get worse.” Jennifer Morrison, in a black velvet mini cocktail frock, had her own strategy to keep from shopping. “I’m trying not to look. I’ve already spent way more money in D&G stores than I ever should!” she says. But the 6,136-square-foot store contained plenty of temptation for the House actress. “In here they have space to really show the whole collection, which is so nice,” Morrison says. And Ginnifer Goodwin, also in all black, pointed out the “convenient” location. “Robertson definitely has its own following as a street. It’s a younger, hipper Rodeo,” says the actress, who chatted with host Rachel Bilson inside. Sister act Paris and Nicky Hilton chatted and happily posed for photos on the red carpet. D&G devotees also included some men, like Danny Masterson, who spun tunes under his moniker DJ Momjeans; Corbin Bleu, who chatted with Rumer Willis; Joel Madden, who hung tight with girlfriend Nicole Richie; and Golden Globe nominee Kevin Connolly who wants the fashion house to dress him for the big day. “It’s already a done deal. They’re always the nicest.” – Jenny Sundel

Matt Baron/BEImages

Victoria Beckham is bringing her designs home to the UK. On the eve of her 10 dress collection hitting Selfridges in both London and Manchester, the designer herself sits down with the London Times and gives them a look at her “fourth child”. Victoria tells the London Times that fashion was always her first love — even before singing. “I was never that good a singer but I think I am good at fashion. Even when I was at school, I was always customizing my uniform.” And her fame as Posh didn’t help her fashion career. “Being in the Spice Girls, fashion-wise probably didn’t open any doors. If anything it shut doors and I’ve had to bang them down.” Now the pop star has left the stage for the drawing board and takes a hands-on approach to all her dVb lines. “Do I draw? No. Then again, nor do lots of designers,” admits Victoria. “But I know how a dress should sit. I’ve worn so many in the past and when I see the photographs I think, crikey, my boobs are up round my neck again because the corsets are too short and not cut high enough.” Victoria used all her fashion mishaps to help make her line better. “I knew I would spend a lot on the best-quality zips because, I’ve had my share of crappy zips,” she says. “I wanted a zip that undoes from both ends because then you can either put the dress on over your head or, if you don’t want to mess up your hair, you can step into it – and also, you know, going to the loo wouldn’t be this whole big palaver.” With her exacting attention to detail, luxurious fabrics and classic silhouettes, she isn’t worried about the recession hurting business despites the dresses’ four-figure price tags. “In these recessionary times, and at these prices, women are looking for something that will be an investment, aren’t they?” Click here to see all of the styles from Beckham’s new line.

Courtesy Wetseal

The American Idol winner can now add designer to her list of accomplishments. Jordin Sparks is the newest celebrity designer with a line of holiday dresses for Wet Seal. Jordin is in good company, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz also did a T-Shirt line with the teen-favorite retailer. Jordin’s line , appropiately called “Sparks”, will begin with an assortment of holiday dresses delivering to stores just in time for Thanksgiving and will later include casual apparel and accessories. “I am so excited that Wet Seal and I have been able to create a line of clothing that will appeal to more girls than ever before! The holiday season is my favorite time of year, and I can’t wait to see girls look cute, feel good and celebrate in style!,” Jordin says in a released statement. Wet Seal’s CEO Ed Thomas, couldn’t be happier to have Jordin on his team. “Jordin is a great role model for the young girls that shop Wet Seal. Not only does she have a youthful, yet refined, fashion sense, she has not lost sight of who she is through her rise to stardom,” he said in a press release. Jordin’s “Sparks” line of dresses is already available online at wetseal.com. The dresses range in size from XS to XL and in price from $30-55. get Jordin’s exact cheetah print dress, $30, at wetseal.com Tell us: What do you think of Jordin’s “Sparks” dress collection for Wet Seal? Will you buy it?