Rodeo Walk of Style to Honor Iman and Missoni

Pictured: Sculptor Robert Graham’s “Torso” between Rodeo Drive & Dayton Way is the symbol for the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style

Tonight is the Rodeo Walk of Style on Rodeo Drive, hub of luxury shopping in the heart of Beverly Hills.  Although, since the great recession the area is dotted with more consignment stores and lower priced  chain stores (Gap, Banana Republic, BCBG and GUESS.)  Since 2003, the City of Beverly Hills and the Rodeo Drive committee have been giving out the awards to honor style legends for their contributions to the worlds of fashion and entertainment. This year’s honorees are model and cosmetics/fashion mogul Inman and Italian fashion designer Missoni.   Both honorees have diversified their brands via lower priced merchandise with their glamorous label. Missoni has expended to their M by Missoni lower priced line sold at Nordstroms and others, as well as a recent Target collaboration.  Iman’s Global Chic and Platinum Lines are best sellers on the Home Shopping Network.

In addition to her success  as a top fashion model and business women, Iman has been very involved in charitable organizations. She has helped to raise funds for The Children’s Defense Fund, Action Against Hunger and the RAISE HOPE FOR CONGO campaign.  She is also ambassador for Save the Children to raise funds and awareness for the famine and drought that is ravaging East Africa, and in particular, her homeland Somalia. She deserves to be recognized as much for her humanitarian efforts as for her contributions to fashion.

The Missoni style reflects the successful venture of a husband-and-wife team: married in 1953, Tai and Rosita started a knitwear business that would come to symbolize Italian fashion in the mid-Sixties with its signature designs.  Missoni successfully introduced and established an unmistakable way of dressing and living. Identified by unique “put together” combinations of color, texture and iconic patterns, their beautiful designs feature a kaleidoscope of bold hues, zigzags, stripes, waves, flames, geometric patchworks and floral jacquards. Overtime, each of the Missoni children has become part of the business.  The Target collection, although it had some worthy pieces, didn’t begin to touch the beauty of the patterns that are Missoni knit wear. But it did give the mass market a chance to possess a bit of the Missoni magic at an affordable price, at least before some of the eBay sellers hoarded it and inflated the prices beyond reason.

Tonight’s ceremony promises to be star studded.  Rachel Zoe will be there and she will be styling Iman.  I’m waiting to see if Iman will wear Missoni.  What do you think?  You can follow all the action tonight on Twitter. I will be there Tweeting using the hashtag #RodeoDriveWOS. Look for Tweets from both honorees (@The_Real_IMAN) and Margherita Missoni (@mmmargherita) plus attendees.