Posts filed under 'News'
Five
years ago, could you have imagined that someone as cool as Mischa
Barton would be endorsing Keds shoes? I sure couldn’t. At best, the
shoe line was synonymous with your grandmother or worse yet, your
completely un-hip third cousin from Oregon.
What’s more, I
could have never imagined then, when Keds was still “un-cool,†that I
would one day consider purchasing them… for MYSELF. Yet now, every time
I see one of those advertisements with Mischa in her stylish short
skirts and vintage tees, I want to race to the mall (and I don’t know
to which store because I don’t even know where they sell Keds) to get
me a pair fast. And when I’m staring at one of the amusing slogans like
“Cool Is Knowing Who You are,†I don’t want to trap the shoes in my
closet like I would have 5 years ago. I want to sport them as soon as
possible so as to show the world that I’m on top of the ball.
If you’re still not convinced that Keds is “cool,†wait ’til you hear
which other famous designers have contributed to the 90-year old
business? BCBG Max Azria, the designer who makes très beautiful
frocks, has contributed to Keds with a funky zebra-like pattern, as has
Chilean fashion designer Zero Maria Cornejo with a lurex linen skimmer.
Of course, the concept of celebrity endorsements is nothing
new. Sarah Jessica Parker appeared in ads for Gap. Nicole Ritchie
showed up in Bongo ads with then-fiance DJ AM. Gwyneth Paltrow has been
the face of Estee Lauder Pleasures. And how can we forget those
powerful Versace ads with Mama Madonna sitting behind a clear desk with
platinum blonde hair?
Do you buy it–literally? Do
celebrity endorsers entice you to purchase that shoe or handbag? Or do
they have the opposite effect on you? How much does fit matter between
the celebrity endorser and the product? Do you now associate
Keds with cool?
Go on, speak up: Let us know your thoughts by posting a quick comment or voting on our handy-dandy poll.
March 13th, 2006
Luella Bartley’s limited edition run at Target is winding down to a close (sale ends on 3/11), but Target’s ready to roll with their next "Go International" designer: Canadian designer Tara Jarmon!
Tara Jarmon is known for "Smart and comfortable pieces, colored and sexy but never provocative, embellished with details such as embroidery, a bow, a flower; sober cuts, in sweet and silky materials : muslin, cotton, satin, velvet." Look for a sharp departure from Luella’s youthful (and clearly British) line.
Tara Jarmon apparel and accessories will hit Target in May.
Thanks to style scout "T" for her thoughtful email (and The Budget Fashionista) for the scoop!
March 9th, 2006
In their Oscars fashion coverage, our colleagues over at Flypaper took note of one of the most interesting dress trends of the season–Dresses with Pockets!
We’re all over this trend too. It’s utilitarian And stylish–what more can a girl ask for? If you’re looking to incorporate this trend into your spring wardrobe, look no further for some stylish day dresses, pockets included!
March 6th, 2006
Designer Norma Kamali, renowned for her form-fitting
activewear and cutout swimwear, has collaborated with Spiegel to offer
Norma Kamali Timeless, a collection of three convertible pieces all
priced under $100. For example, an extremely versatile tie-waist skirt
can also be worn as a simple top, or as a halter, cross-front or
strapless dress. Add a few supporting pieces into the collection–a shrug, bootcut pants, a pleated skirt–and you have a sexy, versatile and low-maintenance wardrobe.
All-In-One Dress, worn two different ways | $79 at Spiegel
February 25th, 2006
During my whirlwind LA fashion tour, I stopped by the Rebel Yell launch party at Kitson on Sunday. Here’s the scoop:
Who Showed Up: The celeb-studded event featured, among others, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Danny Masterson (That 70s Show), Chris Kattan, and David Spade.
Fashion Trends: The scene was casually cool and unmistakably LA…
- Rebel Yell gear, of course.
- Sunglasses Worn Indoors: So very Hollywood…and I suppose it worked well on Ashton.
- Oversized Sunglasses: The glam oversized look hasn’t yet given way to the latest trend: Small and Square Sunglasses.
- Wide Ties: Danny Masterson is bucking the Narrow Tie trend. Way to be different.
- Wispy Scarves: Great for decoration, bad for keeping warm! Seen on both men and women.
- Paint splattered items: For an I-just-painted-a-house-today look.
- Velvet Blazers: I guess this trend is still going strong.
- The Denim Miniskirt: What can I say…it’s LA.
- Studded Belts: Yawn.
Really, fashion-wise, it was Everything Goes. I
can’t tell you how many people I saw in a hoodie, t-shirt, and jeans
(designer denim, of course!).
The Food: All American Classics: Mini Sprinkles cupcakes, tiny hot dogs in buns, curly fries, ice cream sandwiches, and of course, an open bar.
The Swag: A Rebel Yell duffel bag, limited edition T-shirt and socks, and a scented candle.
February 21st, 2006
Summer may be four months away, but it’s never too early to learn about upcoming trends. Even if you’ve never swung a golf club in your life, it would be to your stylish benefit to sport Celine’s Summer 2006 Open Golf line. Inspired by the Couture Sportswear initiated by Madam Vipiana (aka Celine, the founder of the line) and fused with urban practicality, Open Golf ensures that all chic women, golfers or not, can don this half sporty, half preppy collection outside of the putting range.
Color Palette: Tangerine, white, khaki beige.
Silhouettes: Inverted pleats, tartan skirts turned up, Bermuda shorts, cardigans, polo shirts.
Accessories: Beige leather sneakers marked by CELINE logo, ankle socks, beige bag with canvas flap and tangerine leather band, solid white or orange visor.
Where to Buy: In Celine stores mid-March.
What’s she wearing? White Cotton Polo, White Jacquard Chain Print Sleeveless Cardigan, White Cotton Short Pants with Bicolor Belt, Coral Cotton and Linen Canvas C Sulky Long Strap Bag, Khaki Lambskin Glove.
February 20th, 2006
All photos courtesy of BravoTV.com
Fans of the fashionista reality show can rest a little bit easier now that the final three have been announced: Daniel V., Santino and Chloe. This past Wednesday, the final four designers (the three, plus Kara) had to design an evening gown suitable for Iman, the majestic supermodel/diva/wife-of-David Bowie. With such a daunting challenge before the honorable opportunity to show at fashion week, you’d think the designers would pull out all the stops – but think again.
I have to agree with the judges when they said they were “underwhelmed.†The pieces they showed were flat out boring. Take a look:
Chloe’s Dress: Yawn…
Santino’s Dress: Didn’t they already do the figure skating costume challenge?
Kara’s Dress: Double yawn. I understand why she was eliminated.
Daniel V’s Dress: I guess it’s a "winner."
Out of all of them, Santino (although it was a bit horrendous) had the most interesting gown. Everyone else had pretty designs, but as Santino said, they were “safe.†They were as exciting as watching curling on the Olympics. It’s as though the designers thought too inside of the box, and they put all their focus on the schematics of tailoring rather than vehicular creativity.
Nonetheless, there HAD to be a winner. Daniel V. took the golden pin cushion on this challenge. After seeing the Project Runway collections at fashion week, I am sure a lot of people are going to be a little bit disappointed. We shouldn’t compare them to those of last season, but after seeing ingenious collections by Jay McCarroll and Kara Saun, it’s kind of hard not to.
The outcome will certainly be interesting. Daniel, Santino and Chloe’s collections shown last week all managed to stay in the same vein. But if I had to choose a winner, I am going to go with Daniel…or Chloe…or maybe Santino. I have no idea. Stay tuned for the winner!
February 17th, 2006
Bubbly champagne, heart-shaped chocolates, and sweet sugar cookies—no, they weren’t the Valentine’s Day excess of a posh socialite. Rather, they were treats served at San Carlos boutique Clair de Lune’s Baubles & Bikinis Valentine’s Day Party. Although Clair de Lune hasn’t traded its shop permit for a liquor license, it does offer more than just fancy tops and designer jeans. The spacious store co-owned by two stylish sisters, Andrea Parks and Danielle Hicks, is also filled with antique candleholders, verdant wreaths, bath gels, couch pillows, studded belts and feminine undergarments. And if you happen to get motivated by the slogans on the wall (“Dance like no one is watchingâ€; “Dreams do come trueâ€), the inspiration doesn’t have to end when you exit the store because you can have it to hang on your own wall at home.
Price Point: Tops and Tees, $30-60; Jeans, $120-270; Shirts, $80-200; Jackets, $150-400; Belts, $120-300; Evening purses, $60-80; Lingerie: $16-50.
Brands: True Religion, BCBG, Betsey Johnson, Charlotte Tarantola, French Connection, Kasil, Joe’s Jeans, Poleci, Red Engine, Felina, and more.
Sales: January and July.
Why San Carlos? “There was nowhere to shop in the area,†Parks said. “We had to drive 15 minutes north to Burlingame, or 15 minutes south to Palo Alto.â€
February 16th, 2006
By Contributing Writer Kelly Nolan
Who says the average person can’t afford designer fashion?
While we may not be able to afford a $1,200 Luella Bartley bag from Neiman Marcus, we certainly can shell out $30 to $35 for a limited edition "Luella" bag at Target. While Target Luella handbags do not live up to the quality or fabrication details found in a Bartley bag at Neiman, Target does carry bags similar in shape (mainly the hobo) and styling details (such as leather hearts). Price aside, we have another reason to choose Target over Neimans: the bags at Target, with fun colors and off-the-wall materials, are a lot more fun! (Good news: we’ll have more opportunities to buy "designer" clothing at Target. The retailer has said it will launch a new international designer clothing line every three months, or a total of four this year. The tight-lipped store has yet to release the names of the other three designers.)
Target follows in the footsteps of fast fashion retailer H&M, who has already launched two limited-supply designer collections: Karl Lagerfeld in 2004, and Stella McCartney in 2005. H&M also sold a designer jewelry collection by Solange Azagury-Partridge for the holiday season last year.
These days, it seems that designers are flocking to mainstream distribution outlets. In 1998, Jil Sander launched an athletic footwear line with Puma, and Alexander McQueen’s line with the company is due to launch this spring. Tara Subkoff, a designer from Imitation of Christ, designed a line of shoes for Easy Spirit, the announcement hitting the press during the Fall 05 Fashion Week. The shoes are not cheap, averaging in around $250 a pair, but who’s counting, when you can easily drop about $500 on a pair of Manolos?
This year during Fall Fashion Week, yet another designer has announced she will design for the masses. Laura Poretzky (shown above), the 28-year old designer for two-year old ready-to-wear company Abaeté, has signed up with Payless Shoe Source to design a fall collection for the discount-shoe retailer. The price points are much more bearable, at $20 to $40, but they will only arrive in select Payless locations in North America (Payless has not announced which stores it will launch in, but I have a hunch it’s going to be the top metropolitan markets, such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago). Payless will also be selling on the collection on its website starting in August and September.
The collection includes four different shoe styles: the "Sky" boot, "Casey" flat, "Oliver" pump (shown, right) and "Luke" evening sandal. Each silhouette features a range of colors (namely silver, purple, navy, and black), fabrics, and details such as stitching, polka dots and bows. Samples of the shoes made their debut on Thursday night during the Abaeté runway show. The collection is the first designer collection ever for Payless, however, some sample shoes for its spring collection (which never made it to stores) were shown on the Lela Rose runway in September during Spring Fashion Week last year.
"It’s just amazing for any high-end designer to get the chance to design a well-made product for the masses at an affordable price," Poretzky told me backstage after the Abaeté show. "I’m excited to see my shoes worn by women around America."
The shoes were designed to complement Poretzky’s fall collection, which she said had European and Asian influences. The "Sky" boot, for example, was inspired by Luke Skywalker’s boot in Star Wars.
Poretzky graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and worked for a year and a half at Ralph Lauren before leaving to design her own collection. This is her second collection that has been shown at Olympus Fashion Week, but her third overall.
February 11th, 2006
The phrase "fashionably late" must have had its beginnings somewhere during Olympus Fashion Week. Of the more than 10 shows I attended during the week, ranging from small shows like Abaete to larger shows like Kenneth Cole, BCBG and Baby Phat, not one of them started on time. In fact, most of them started about 45 minutes late, and the shows lasted about 10-12 minutes long.
During fashion week, shows "start" on the hour and take place in one of three places in the Bryant Park tents: the Atelier (for smaller shows), the Promenade (for slightly larger shows) and the Tent (for big behemoth shows, like Lacoste and Zac Posen). Some designers have shows off-site in smaller showrooms in New York, generally in trendy areas like Soho or Chelsea. Shows begin, at earliest, at 9 am, and end, at latest, at 10 pm.
Junior public relations representatives start checking guests in about 25 minutes before the show starts. If you’re lucky, the PR company has already called you and told you your seating assignment via telephone before the show takes place. This generally only happens if you’re Anna Wintour or some A or B-list celebrity, however. Most of the time, you can expect to spend anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour waiting in a herd of people to check in for the show.
Hopefully, you’re important enough to rank a seating assignment. Public relations companies in charge of shows seat guests in order or importance at the show. Generally the hierarchy goes something like this: A-list and B-list celebrities, front row, scattered among various prominent fashion editors from the U.S. and international offices of Harper’s Bazaar, Lucky and Vogue (although Anna and Andre Leon only show up to a couple big shows during the week); buyers from high-end department stores rank just behind them, followed by makeup, hair and other show sponsors. Everyone else (ranging from friends to virtually unknown journalists such as myself) sometimes get to fill in the rest of the seats. More than likely though, the regular folks end up in standing room.
Those with seating assignments can sit down almost as soon as they are checked in, generally about 10 or 15 minutes after the hour. Standing room guests get lumped into a massive line and are let in about 20 to 25 past the hour. If there are any seats left at that time, standing room guests can fill them in (this is more likely during the afternoon shows). Otherwise, they are shoved to the back of the tent, to try to fight other guests for a decent view of the runway. During the show, anywhere from 27 looks to about 35 looks are shown.
The show usually begins around 45 past the hour and will last anywhere from 10 minutes to 20 minutes. (The shortest show I went to was Baby Phat, coming in at 10 minutes flat, while the longest was Heatherette, which came in around 20 minutes).
In essence, you spend longer standing in line and waiting for the show, than you actually do watching it!
February 10th, 2006
Next Posts
Previous Posts
