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Friday, February 1, 2008

Welcome to The 50th Edition of the Grammies

Academy, In Style launch Salute To Fashion event featuring collections from recording artists-turned-designers. (For a complete list of 50th GRAMMY Award nominees, please click here.) The intersection of fashion and music will be celebrated on Feb. 7, when In Style and The Recording Academy present the first ever GRAMMY Salute to Fashion. The event will be hosted by Recording Academy Chair and four-time GRAMMY-winning producer Jimmy Jam, and will include a special performance by current four-time GRAMMY nominee Rihanna. Curated by In Style's fashion director Hal Rubenstein, the fashion show will feature spring collections from Beyoncé and Tina Knowles' House of Deréon, Sean Combs' Sean John Women's, Jay-Z's Rocawear, Jennifer Lopez' justsweet, Jessica Simpson's Jessica Simpson Collection, and Justin Timberlake's William Rast. Also showcased will be The Recording Academy's fashion line, GRAMMY Brand. "There has always been an exciting synergy between music and fashion, and no other red carpet event is better at reflecting this connection than the GRAMMY Awards," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "GRAMMY Salute to Fashion will pay homage to the stylish musicians that have successfully branched out into the world of fashion design. What better way to display their passion for music and fashion than with a live fashion show featuring their respective collections." GRAMMY Brand is a high-end, fashion-forward clothing and accessories collection celebrating the unique intersection of fashion and music. Inspired by the energy and emotion of the GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY Brand is comprised of original hand-painted tees and blazers by Michael Eaton; luxury eyewear by Franco; high-quality casual wear such as organic tees and hoodies from JEM/Awake Sportswear; and dresses and leather handbags and belts from Latino Royalty. GRAMMY Brand is available at luxury boutique retailers nationwide and a good portion of proceeds from sales benefit The Recording Academy's charities, the GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares. Beyoncé's House of Deréon is a clothing line that launched during the holiday season of 2005 by famed singer and actress Beyoncé and her mother, designer and celebrity stylist Tina Knowles. This initial collection of House of Deréon dresses for spring 2008 consists of styles for cocktail and evening, incorporating fabrics such as silk. Sean John, a privately held company, was created by music icon and producer Sean "Diddy" Combs and made its fashion debut with a men's sportswear collection for the spring 1999 season. The company has annual retail sales in the United States of more than $525 million. Rapper and media mogul Sean "Jay-Z" Carter launched the multi-million dollar clothing line Rocawear in 1999. With annual retail sales more than $700 million, Rocawear has expanded its brand through licensing pacts to develop lines for children, juniors, leather suede and fur outerwear, handbags and belts, loungewear and big & tall, headwear, jewelry, and sunglasses; as well as co-branded product with Pro-Keds. Multi-platinum recording artist/actress Jennifer Lopez heads her own successful clothing lines — Sweetface and justsweet — and was awarded with the ACE icon award in 2006 for her contributions to the accessories and fashion industry. Justsweet reflects Lopez's personal style and culture, which adds a richness and wearability to the collections. Singer/actress Jessica Simpson launched the Jessica Simpson Collection in fall of 2005. Her popular lifestyle brand consists of footwear, handbags, swimwear, lingerie, outerwear, jewelry, sunglasses and a soon to be released fragrance and celebrates her iconic, American image. With William Rast, pop music icon/actor Justin Timberlake and his best friend, Trace Ayala, infuse the soul of authentic Southern heritage with the energy of contemporary Hollywood. In collaboration with Johan and Marcella Lindeberg, a full men and women's collection will debut in the fall of 2008. Elizabeth Stewart will serve as the show's stylist, makeup artistry will be provided by CoverGirl, hair styling will be courtesy of Paul Mitchell, with a jewelry showcase by Le Vian and shoes by Steve Madden. The 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 10 at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The show also will be supported on radio via Westwood One worldwide and XM Satellite Radio, and covered online at GRAMMY.com.

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