PHOTOS: The 9 Biggest Fashion Moments Of 2011
by Justin Fenner | 3:04 pm, December 30th, 2011
How will we remember 2011? Probably as The Year When All That Stuff Happened. There was no shortage of scandal and intrigue, public unrest and famous people dying. But there were also weddings, births, record-breaking auctions and amazing clothes presented on every catwalk. Which is why we’d like to remember this year’s best moments in fashion — as a reminder that when the rest of the world talks, the fashion world listens, responds and grows.
Clothes are great, but what’s even greater is when they’re worn for a great occasion or to make a statement. So most of this year’s top fashion moments weren’t just great outfits — they were great events. Whether the garments and accessories (and the people who wore them) included on this list broke records, became cultural institutions or inspired great art, they all looked damn good doing it.
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1. The Royal Wedding(s)
Both of them were beautiful commoners who married into royalty -- and both of them did it in stunning, stunning dresses. Kate Middleton married Prince William in a custom Alexander McQueen dress designed by Sarah Burton Jetsun Pema became Queen of Bhutan in layer after layer of traditional Bhutanese silk robes . We honestly cannot decide which look we love more.
2. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
Never -- and we mean never -- has there been a fashion exhibit more beloved than The Costume Institute's tribute to the work of Alexander McQueen . Over 600,000 people filed into New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the designer's outlandish and beautiful clothing displayed the only way it deserved to be displayed: just like art .
3. Liz Taylor's Record-Breaking Jewelry Auction
Dame Elizabeth 's jewelry collection was vast -- and so was the record breaking amount of money it got at auction. The collection (which included the centuries old La Peregrina Pearl, a suite of emeralds from Bulgari, one of the world's largest diamonds mounted on a gigantic ring and more rubies, sapphires and gold than you could shake a stick at) sold for $116 million . A portion of the money will go to Taylor's HIV/AIDS foundation -- and you can thank Kim Kardashian for about $65,000 of it .
4. Florence Welch goes on tour with Gucci
Talk about your brand loyalty. When fashion's latest musical obsession Florence Welch announced her North American tour this summer, she also announced that all her costumes would be Gucci . Which means one thing: Welch might be our generations one true diva.
5. Duran Duran's Girl Panic
The members of Duran Duran had the bright idea to cast some of the modeling world's enduring legends as themselves for their first music video in ages -- Naomi Campbell Simon Le Bon , Helena Christensen Roger Taylor , and so forth. But the thing about this video that we loved the most was that even the extras looked like total rock stars.
6. Kate Moss's Wedding To Jamie Hince
Why does this wedding get its own slide, but the new royals have to share just one? Because everyone -- and we do mean everyon e -- in fashion came to this wedding. Anna Wintour Hamish Bowles Naomi Campbell John Galliano
7. Versace for H&M, Missoni for Target
We could call 2011 the year of Italian collaboration fever, really. Shoppers went stark raving mad for the offerings from both Donatella Versace H&M and Missoni for Target . People actually physically fought over the Versace stuff, while the Missoni collection -- the biggest collaboration Target has ever done -- is still being sold on eBay left and right.
8. Beyonce announces her pregnancy - in Lanvin
Beyonce told the world she was pregnant at the MTV Video Music Awards in August without saying a single word. Instead, she just held the fabric of her tomato-red Lanvin gown against her baby bump and smiled. Talk about making a fashion statement.
9. Ryan Gosling. End of sentence.
In a year when menswear was dominated by over-obsessed bloggers and saturated by the musings of everyone with a camera and a WiFi connection, it was great to see a guy just put on good clothes and look good. And while Gosling looked just as good in a custom olive drab Gucci suit as he did in a pair of footie pajamas he wore on Ellen , he looked his absolute best in this blue shawl collar Ferragamo tuxedo worn to the premiere of Drive .
Best Fashion Moments of 2011 Beyonce pregnant Kate Middleton Liz Taylor Royal Wedding Ryan Gosling
How will we remember 2011? Probably as The Year When All That Stuff Happened. There was no shortage of scandal and intrigue, public unrest and famous people dying. But there were also weddings, births, record-breaking auctions and amazing clothes presented on every catwalk. Which is why we’d like to remember this year’s best moments in fashion — as a reminder that when the rest of the world talks, the fashion world listens, responds and grows.
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