Grammy Fashions Taking New Turn

If you hear a musician is starting a label, you'd think record label, right?

But a growing number of musicians are using their creativity to become designers, with several even starting their own -- fashion labels -- as music and fashion, always close, grow even closer.

On Sunday, when the world's hottest musicians walk the red carpet for the Grammys, many will be dressed to the nines -- in their own designs.

And on Thursday, The Recording Academy and In Style magazine will celebrate musicians-turned-designers with a first-of-its-kind fashion show in Los Angeles, as Katrina Szish, the magazine's national correspondent, explained on The Early Show Tuesday.

It will be called the "GRAMMY Salute to Fashion."

Among the creations Szish showcased on The Early Show:

Some from The House of Dereon, the label from Beyonce Knowles and her mother, Tina. Tina used to make all the outfits that Destiny's Child wore when the group got its start, so it's only fitting that she's working on this label with Beyonce.

A model wore a House of Dereon fuschia dress with jeweled neckline, $360, available at Bloomindales.

A line from Jennifer Lopez, who also has two other lines: J.Lo and Sweetface.

A model wore a Justsweet blue sleeveless dress with ruffle and jewels, available at justsweet.com

Denim line from Justin Timberlake paired with the new official Grammy-brand t-shirt.

On display on the broadcast were a Grammy-brand top and William Rast jeans, available at williamrast.com.

Other items on the set included:

Justsweet shoes, a House of Dereon green dress with jeweled neckline, a Justsweet grey mini-dress with cutout, and a Justsweet cropped black jacket.

The official announcement of the "GRAMMY Salute to Fashion" says it 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."

It quotes Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow as saying, "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. '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."

The announcement gave these details about the lines to be included:

Beyoncé: House of Deréon
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. The collection is named in honor of Tina's mother, Agnez Deréon, a self-taught dressmaker and seamstress who made beautiful women's clothing for private clients throughout the south. With a fresh eye on style and an unwavering attention to detail and fit, they've created a contemporary line that is not only reflective of House of Deréon's Creole influences, but also Agnéz's daring approach and bold ideas. This initial collection of House of Deréon dresses for spring 2008 consists of body conscious styles for cocktail and evening, incorporating luxurious fabrics such as silk charmeuse, chiffon, and satin crepe. House of Deréon dresses are available at select department stores including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom. The mission of the company is simple: to fuse celebrity power and design artistry into a brand of global importance…a house of aspiration and inspiration…where entertainment and fashion merge seamlessly. The House of Deréon - Couture. Kick. Soul.

Sean Combs: Sean John
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. In 2004, Sean "Diddy" Combs for Sean John was honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America as Men's Wear Designer of the Year. With annual retail sales in the United States of more than $525 million, Sean John is sold in select department and specialty stores across the country, as well as select retailers around the world. In 2006 Sean John, in partnership with Estée Lauder Companies, launched its signature men's fragrance, Unforgivable, which remains one of the highest selling men's fragrances in department stores in America. Its feminine counterpart launched in the fall of 2007 and continues to be in the top 20 best selling scents in the category.

Jay-Z: Rocawear
Rapper and media mogul Sean "Jay-Z" Carter launched the multi-million dollar clothing line Rocawear in 1999. The preeminent fashion brand continues to transcend cultural boundaries for young men, women, and kids, defining style from the "streets" to the height of fashion. Rocawear quickly staked its claim in hip-hop history by becoming the brand of choice for street savvy consumers and has concentrated on providing its customer with clever innovation in terms of fabrication, application, and design. With annual retail sales more than $700 million, the brand's attention to detail has given Rocawear an appeal far beyond its core urban customer. Rocawear defines the lifestyle for today's young hip consumer and is inspired by an urban aesthetic rooted in young men's sportswear. Rocawear has expanded its brand through licensing pacts to develop lines for children, juniors, socks and sandals, 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.

Jennifer Lopez: justsweet
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 is a line that is fashion forward and appeals to the trend savvy status denim market. The brand intends to reflect a look and style that women will cherish and that reflect Lopez's unique and inspiring aesthetic. The designs are made to make women feel sexy, feminine and confident. Additionally, it reflects Lopez's personal style and culture, which adds a richness and wearability to the collections.

Jessica Simpson: Jessica Simpson Collection
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 that is fashion-forward and accessible. American and feminine, forward but classically familiar, approachable yet inspirational, sexy yet sweet, flirtatious and whimsical, vintage at times, but always of-the-moment, Simpson knows how to create an image people want to buy. Millions of women all over the world are interested in her fashion choices as her personal style has been copied by women worldwide over the past few years. There's no reason to wonder why her incredible label received so much recognition upon release, not only with consumers but with some of the world's top-notch celebrities as well.

Justin Timberlake: William Rast
Pop music icon/actor Justin Timberlake and his best friend, Trace Ayala, dressed up or dressed down, define class, comfort, and style that fuses the urban glamour of Hollywood with nuances from their Southern country upbringing. Together they design the threads to match, and deliver a brand that infuses the soul of authentic Southern heritage with the energy of contemporary Hollywood. Inspired by Dixieland, William Rast is a testament to Justin and Trace's Tennessee roots; "William" is the first name of Timberlake's grandfather and "Rast" the last of Trace Ayala's. William Rast allows the wearer to go confidently from casual to cosmopolitan. It is perfect for the man on the go or the starlet out on the town. It is fashion minus the pretense. The collection currently consists of denim and T-shirts. In collaboration with Johan and Marcella Lindeberg, a full men and women's collection will debut in the fall of 2008. William Rast is a brand beyond celebrity; delivering quality, detail, design, and comfort and making a clear statement that rock n' roll sex appeal and modern sensuality are always in style.

GRAMMY Brand
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. Available at luxury boutique retailers nationwide, GRAMMY Brand pieces do more than just look good - they do good. A meaningful portion of proceeds from sales of GRAMMY Brand benefits The GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares, two Recording Academy charities that work to better the creative arts community with music education programs, as well as health and human services programs that benefit musicians in times of need.