25 Oct: "Kartell Loves Milano"

This season, design is busy doing its bit for charity. After the Pink Swan Project, in which designers riffed on Arne Jacobsen’s classic Swan chair, now comes Kartell Loves Milano, an auction on October 25th by Sotheby’s at the Rotondo della Besana in Milan. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Umberto Veronesi Foundation, which supports scientific research -its founder, for whom the foundation is named, is a surgeon and oncologist known for his innovations in cancer treatment.

For the auction, 45 individuals and groups from the worlds of design and architecture, art, fashion, music, photography, food and even sports, will reimagine one of the Italian manufacturer Kartell’s plastic furniture designs, while also paying tribute to the city of Milan, Italy’s design and fashion center.

6 Oct. 2011 - 8 Jan. 2012:

"Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective"

Fundación Mapfre in Madrid, in collaboration with the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent, presents Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective, an exhibition that was previously shown at the Petit Palais in Paris in 2010. This is the first retrospective of the great couturier to be held in Spain and offers a fascinating insight into his forty-year career.

The exhibition is organized thematically into eleven sections and features approximately 150 examples of haute couture and prêt-à-porter, as well as more than 80 drawings, photographs and films.

Mapfre Foundation. Exhibition Hall at Paseo de Recoletos 25.

10 - 13 Nov 2011: "Paris Photo Festival 2011"

This year, Paris Photo festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary at the Grand Palais -a major step ahead for the renowned international event.
117 galleries from some 23 countries will present the best of 19th century, modern and contemporary photography in the heart of the French capital, while to complete this panorama of worldwide photography, a selection of 18 publishers will have a dedicated space in the fair.

The good news? Giorgio Armani is set to make a splash as the official sponsor of the Paris Photo festival. The designer, who often bases his collections and fragrances around the theme of water, is putting together an exhibition of the same theme, titled Acqua. The show will present various artists from institutions around the world, including the International Centre of Photography in New York. Works selected include ones by Shomei Tomatsu and Armin Haab.

Watch the programme here.

15 Nov 2011: Hermès Vintage auction

For over 12 years, Hermès has organized annual sales that have become a must for collectors and connoisseurs all over the world. Leather goods, travel bags, clocks, watches, jewellery, gents’ and ladies’ ready-to-wear clothing, fashion accessories, carres, linen, office equipment…
The Vintage and Collections sales from Artcurial – Briest – Poulain – F. Tajan auction house, offer a journey through time and the luxurious, incomparable world of a brand that stands for elegance and refinement à la française. From silk squares at €60 to handbags at €4,000, your dream can finally come true!
The auction will take place at Hôtel Marcel Dassault on November 15. To find out more, click here.

1 Dec 11 – 30 Jan 2012:

"Art Rocks: Contemporary Jewellery"

London contemporary gallery Shizaru presents Art Rocks: Contemporary Jewellery. From 1 Dec.2011 till 30 Jan. 2012 it will showcase jewellery from some of the world’s most exciting designer-makers. By combining a strong emotional significance with unique designs, this exhibition explores the vast potential and diversity of contemporary jewellery and its rightful alignment with the world of fine art. Co-curated by international jewellery specialist Joanna Hardy, the Art Rocks exhibition will feature jewellery from some of the industry’s biggest names to the finest emerging talent, including the likes of Shaun Leane, Zoe Arnold, Gimel, Leo de Vroomen, Kevin Coates, Zobel, ARK, Fred Rich, Sevan Biçakçi and Sophia Mann.

Shizaru, 112 Mount Street, Mayfair, London, tel.: +44 2074 992 266.

23-26 Jan 2012: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week

Fashion cognoscenti from all over the world rendezvous in Paris for the Spring/Summer 2012 Haute Couture Collections! Follow their schedule.

20-21 April :Vogue Festival 2012

The iconic style bible is holding its first ever festival with a plethora of talks and panel discussions involving some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Stella McCartney, Rachel Zoe, Christopher Bailey, David Bailey, Laura Bailey, Lily Cole, Tom Ford, Holly Fulton and Henry Holland to name but a few. Individual tickets for the festival are available for the morning and the afternoon sessions of each day. Each ticket allows you to see three talks and panel discussions, and experience other events including makeovers, photoshoots, trend talks and fashion films. There will also be a limited-edition T-shirt designed for the festival by Mulberry.

Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7591 3000
9am-1.45pm, 1.45pm-6pm Fri; 9am-1.45pm, 1.45pm-7pm Sat.

£75 per session.

http://www.vogue.co.uk

22 April: Hammersmith Vintage Fashion Fair

Established in 1999, the Hammersmith Vintage Fashion Fair gathers more than one hundred vintage dealers together under one roof, trading in dresses, handbags, embroidery, shoes, hats, linen and lace. Expect good quality garments and one-off pieces.

Hammersmith Town Hall, King St, W6 9JU

Telephone: +44 (0)20 8543 5075

8am-5pm

23 Mar - 3 Jun 2012: "Marilyn" Photo Exhibition

We've all seen a million photographs of Marilyn Monroe, from the sublime, to the slightly sad. But this Getty exhibition (which commemorates the 50th anniversary of her death) promises to be a little different.

As well as behind-the-scenes and iconic photographs, the show will also present a collection of original dresses and costumes worn by the Hollywood starlet (collected by David Gainsborough Roberts) as well video footage of Marilyn in action.

Getty Images Gallery, 46 Eastcastle St, London, W1W 8DX

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7291 5380

Mon-Fri: 10am-5:30pm ; Sat: noon-5:30pm.

http://www.gettyimagesgallery.com