2012's Headlines
What a year it's been! We remember the highs and lows
Rex FeaturesTom Cruise & Katie Holmes Split
2012 was not a good year for romance, with some of the biggest couples in Hollywood calling it quits. They included Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, who split in June, and just a fortnight later finalised their divorce. The exact terms of the settlement are not publicly available, but it has been speculated that Scientology and Suri’s education were behind the break-up.
GoRunwayChanel’s Hula Hoops Bags
Before 2012, Hula Hoops referred to either something children played with in the garden or a type of crisps. Then Chanel worked their magic and created the enormous Hula Hoop Bag. "It's for the beach," Karl Lagerfeld said. "You need space for the beach towel. And then you can put it into the sand and hang things on it." Of course! That’s so obvious!
Getty Images50 Shades Of Grey
With the last Twilight film out this year, everyone was looking for the next big thing. Who guessed that it would come from the vampire series itself? EL James’ 50 Shades Of Grey was a heady mix of Twilight and BDSM, and quickly became a best-seller - especially on the Kindle for those too embarrassed to be seen reading it.
Getty ImagesBlake Lively & Ryan Reynolds' Surprise Wedding
When you’re a massive Hollywood superstar, you don’t get a magazine to cover your wedding - in fact, you don’t even tell the press you’re engaged. That’s what Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds did when they suddenly tied the knot at the Boone Hall Plantation in South Carolina in September.
Katie Holmes For Bobbi Brown
Make-up giant Bobbi Brown signed Katie Holmes as its first-ever celebrity face in September. After five years being married to Tom Cruise, this was surely a sign of Katie’s independence following the split. “This is my first foray into beauty products and the evolution of a look,” the actress said. “You want the hair and makeup to support the woman, just like you want the clothes to support the woman.”
WennPrince Harry’s Vegas Antics
Prince Harry made sure that Sin City lived up to its name when he was inadvertently snapped during a drunken strip in Las Vegas. Harry was pictured partying in the royal buff with a mystery blonde, but garnered a number of celebrity fans from his escapades. Boris Johnson quipped: "The real scandal would be if you went all the way to Las Vegas and you didn't misbehave in some trivial way", while Lady Gaga tweeted: "HOLY MOTHER, HARRY LOOKS FIT ... Hope no-one's mad at him for that, I'm certainly not. #RoyalsArePeopleToo."
Rex FeaturesBabies Galore
Just about everyone seemed to be having babies this year! Beyoncé Knowles started off the trend in January with Blue Ivy, then there was Megan Fox and Noah, Drew Barrymore and Olive, and Adele and her son (name yet to be announced). We just hope these stars don’t go into hiding while they’re changing nappies!
Rex FeaturesHeidi Klum & Seal Break-Up
We’ll miss their his ‘n’ her Halloween outfits and extravagant renewal of vows every anniversary: not even Heidi Klum and Seal could stave off break-up this year. After eight years, the pair called things off and Heidi had hooked up with her bodyguard before the year was out.
Brad Pitt For Chanel No. 5
The likes of Marilyn Monroe, Nicole Kidman, Audrey Tautou and Catherine Deneuve have all represented Chanel No. 5 but 2012 saw the brand appoint its first male face. And what a beautiful face it was. Brad Pitt signed, and we all went a bit weak at the knees (in a good way).
PA PhotosKate Middleton’s Topless Photos
Kate Middleton found herself in the middle of her first media controversy when she was photographed sunbathing topless while on holiday in France. It seemed like a return to the dark days of Princess Diana and intrusive and grainy long lens shots, but the mainstream British media refused to publish the images.
Rex FeaturesSkyfall Soars
After four years of financial troubles, Bond was officially back! The 23rd movie starred a bleach-blonde Javier Bardem, Ben Whishaw as Q and the return of the sexy Daniel Craig as 007. The latest instalment proved a financial and critical success, earning $672m worldwide.
WennParis Jackson V The Jackson Family
This summer saw the Jackson Family descend into anarchy. Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, was taken to Arizona by her surviving children and refused contact with her grandchildren, Paris, Blanket and Prince Michael. Paris took to Twitter to complain: “Something is really off, this isn't like her at all .. i wanna talk directly to my grandmother!!< 3.” Things then took a surreal twist as police were called to the Jackson home to break up a fight between Janet Jackson and her niece but when matriarch Katherine returned to California, tensions blew over.
Girls Power
If there was one TV show that caught everyone’s attention this year, it was Girls. Whether you loved it or hated it, everyone could agree that this was a TV series with a difference. No glitzy SATC or Gossip Girl parties for these girls; this series was about the gritty truth of living in Manhattan - huge rents, STDs and bad decisions.
PA PhotosThe Kardashians Kometh
The Kardashian Klan descended on London this year as they teamed up with Dorothy Perkins to launch their new collection. The sisters rolled into London town with their own brand of glamour, chaos and, of course Kanye, and their collection sold out within days.
PA PhotosThe Olympics & Paralympics
Everyone went a bit sports-crazy this summer: we could suddenly recite the rules of beach volleyball off by heart and sit and watch dressage for hours on end. Not only that, but Team GB won medals - and a lot of them. From the Opening Ceremony to Ellie Simmonds' record-smashing swims, it really was The Greatest Show On Earth.
FilmMagicJennifer Aniston Gets Engaged
In the same year, Brad and Angelina got engaged, Jennifer Aniston knocked that “victim” label firmly on the head when she accepted boyfriend Justin Theroux’s proposal on his birthday. We wouldn’t expect anything other than a massive engagement ring, and Justin didn’t disappoint with an estimated 10-carat rock, reputed to be worth $1m.
FlynetUma’s Baby Name
We’re quite used to unusual celebrity baby names here at GLAMOUR.com but even we were surprised when Uma Thurman revealed her baby’s moniker. We expect big things from Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence Thurman-Busson with a name like that!
Rex FeaturesAngelina Jolie’s Right Leg
Angelina Jolie’s sexy stance at the Oscars went viral this year, with the actress’ leg getting its own Twitter feed and copycat spoofs. The Statue of Liberty, Darth Vader, Botticelli’s Venus... No one was safe from being “leg-bombed”.
Rex FeaturesGaga Perfume Frenzy
Quite a few people want to smell like Lady Gaga, if her perfume sales are anything to go by. The singer’s fragrance, Fame, sold six million bottles in its first week, making it the fastest-selling scent ever after Coco Chanel.
Rex FeaturesRIP Whitney Houston
The music world was left in shock this year when Whitney Houston was found dead in her LA hotel room, the day before the Grammy Awards. A month later, the coroner’s report confirmed that the singer had died from drowning after taking a cocktail of drugs and painkillers.
PA PhotosPhilip Treacy At London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week was all about hats this September, not least because milliner Philip Treacy showed his collection for the first time in over a decade. Hat champion Lady Gaga introduced his show, which included a Swarovski-covered glove headpiece and a circus-themed cap.
PA PhotosJohnny Depp & Vanessa Paradis Split
Even the longest and strongest Hollywood relationships became casualties of the great relationship cull of 2012. Among the most shocking were Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, who split in June after 14 years together.
Kristen Stewart For Balenciaga
2012 was a rocky year for Kristen Stewart but there were high points, too: the actress managed to bag herself a contract as the face of Balenciaga’s new perfume, Florabotanica.
Rex FeaturesJustin Timberlake Marries Jessica Biel
Jessica Biel finally made an honest man of Justin Timberlake in October. The couple’s Italian wedding was a three-day event, which started with a beach party and wine and cheese tasting, and finished with a glitzy reception - during which Jessica performed Justin’s song, It’s Gonna Be Me. The estimated price tag for the nuptials was $6.5m.
WennOne Direction’s Rise & Rise
There was one direction that this band was going in 2012, and it was up! The boys sold a million copies of Take Me Home in one week and went from being Britain’s favourite pastime to something akin to the Beatles in terms of their global popularity.
Rex FeaturesKate Moss: The Book
Kate Moss has always been notoriously private about her personal life but she lifted the lid on a few secrets to Vanity Fair while promoting her tome, Kate: The Kate Moss Book. The model revealed that she had a nervous breakdown in her teens after her career-defining Calvin Klein shoot. "It didn't feel like me at all. I felt really bad about straddling this buff guy. I didn't like it. I couldn't get out of bed for two weeks. I thought I was going to die. I went to the doctor, and he said, 'I'll give you some valium.'"
Rex FeaturesRainbow Hair
2011 was all about the dip-dye but 2012 saw this trend taken to the next level. Rainbow hair was trialled by the likes of Amber Le Bon, January Jones and Selena Gomez, all of whom added fluorescent streaks to their lovely, long locks.
Lana Del Rey Models For H&M
H&M always avoided using celebrity faces in their brands... Until Lana Del Rey came on the scene. The high street brand wasted little time in snapping up the songstress to front their autumn/winter 2012 campaign and star in its TV commercials.
Rex FeaturesThe Hunger Games Is Box Office Gold
Girls and Sci-Fi made sense this year as The Hunger Games was released in cinemas. It was a massive, blockbuster success, grossing $685m worldwide from a relatively minimal budget of $78m. It also made megastars of the cast, including Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth.
Rex FeaturesThe Spice Girls Return
It seems like it really is Viva Forever for the Spice Girls. The band reunited for a one-off performance, which saw them dancing on top of double decker buses and generating a massive 116,000 tweets a minute, at the Olympics Closing Ceremony. And it doesn't end there. The group’s musical opens in the West End on 11 December.
PA PhotosGoodbye To Twilight
The phenomenon that gave us R-Patz, imprinting and a love of all things pale, sparkly and cold finally came to an end with a bang this year. After a mammoth promotion tour, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart (in a few risqué outfits) said farewell to the franchise and its millions of fans.
Rex FeaturesMiley Cyrus’ Crazy Year
What a year it’s been for Miley Cyrus! After splitting from Liam Hemsworth in November 2011, the pair patched things up and got engaged in May 2012. With her love life settled, the star turned her attention to her hair, which she proceeded to cut off and bleach blond. Watch this space for more excitement come 2013.
PA PhotosThe Jubilee
Britannia definitely ruled this year. Aside from London 2012 there was the Jubilee, celebrating 60 years of Her Majesty with street parties, Union Jacks and even a boat flotilla.
PA PhotosRaf Simons Goes To Dior
Raf Simons was given the official fashion seal of approval this year as stepped into the large shoes vacated by the scandal-hit Galliano to take on the giant that is Dior. His first show was an unquestionable success.
PA PhotosGirls Aloud Reunite
The sound of the underground was that Girls Aloud were reuniting in 2012, 10 years after they originally formed. In October these suspicions proved correct as the band announced a new single, a new album and a new tour, all appropriately called Ten.
Getty ImagesChristopher Kane Leaves Versus
Christopher Kane ended his partnership with Donatella Versace’s Versus line this year. There weren’t any fashion fireworks however; the pair parted ways by mutual agreement and mutual praise. Question is, what’s next for Christopher?
Getty ImagesKristen Stewart Cheating Scandal
Twihards and Twitter were sent into a frenzy when photos emerged of Kristen Stewart kissing her married Snow White And The Huntsman director Rupert Sanders. Nearly as shocking as the snaps was the star’s candid statement, in which she declared her love for boyfriend Robert Pattinson.
Getty ImagesBrangelina Gets Engaged
They’ve adopted children together, had children together and braved a lot of media criticism together, but 2012 was the year that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made things official. The pair got engaged in April, with Brad designing a diamond ring with jeweller Robert Procop for the occasion. At the time of writing though, no date had been set (although more than a few have been rumoured).
PA PhotosAnd, just when we thought all the exciting news had been and gone for the year, Clarence House confirmed that Kate Middleton and Prince William were expecting a royal baby! The couple were "delighted with the news", although the announcement was made early because Kate had to be admitted into hospital with extreme morning sickness.
