Archive for January 2011

Cynthia Rowley
Deal: Up to 80% off clothing and accessories.
When: Thursday, January 27 through Sunday, January 30. Thurs—Fri 10am—8pm, Sat—Sun 11am—8pm. 376 Bleecker St between Perry and Charles Sts (212-242-0847)
link: www.cynthiarowley.com

Resurrection Vintage
Deal: 30% to 70% off designer vintage clothing and accessories, plus new and vintage books
When: Tuesday, January 4 through Monday, January 31. Mon—Sat 11am—7pm, Sun noon—7pm. 217 Mott St between Prince and Spring Sts (212-625-1374)
link: www.resurrectionvintage.com

Express
Deal: Enter code 7537 at checkout to save 15% off your order
When: Ongoing through Tuesday, February 8
link: www.express.com

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“Am I in it?” Kinder Aggugini asks no one in particular as we watch a promotional video for his new Macy’s collection. The London-based Aggugini, who has worked for the likes of Vivienne Westwood and Versace, is the first designer to sign up for Impulse, the department store’s answer to Target’s Go International collections. (Next up is Matthew Williamson, then Karl Lagerfeld.) His appearance in the video is fleeting, but he’s there–looking very handsome, wearing a leather jacket.

But tonight isn’t about Kinder. Well, not really. It’s about his clothes, a mix of dresses, rompers, and jackets all priced at around $100. And while his name might not roll off the tips of most American tongues, Macy’s shoppers won’t be able to deny the strength of this collection. “Here, no one knows what my name is,” Kinder told Fashionista. “I thought, ‘What if I created a collection that people buy because they like it?’ There’s no reason other than because they love the garment and they want to buy it.”

It is sort of a novel idea in an age of super brands and celebrity labels. But while there’s no hard evidence–as of yet, at least–that Aggugini will accomplish his goal, we’re betting the collection will be a hit. The trompe l’oeil dress and play suit will appease any Chanel-loving girl without making her look like a poser, while the dotty dresses and floral frocks flatter women of different ages and sizes. Kinder Aggugini may not be a marquee name, but he’s most definitely a marquee-caliber designer.

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For some reason I was only just tipped off to these hilarious Chloe Sevigny spoofs starring Drew Droege. And since we’re snowed in in New York today, it seemed like a perfect excuse to watch several of them. Ok, I watched maybe all of them. But this one, in which Droege as Chloe teaches you how to make toast (or to-ast) is my favorite. Mostly because of the way she says Proenza Schouler. Proenza Schoww-lah. Lauren thinks it’s funny because fake Chloe includes “half boots by Chip & Pepper” as part of her to-ast-eating outfit (along with a “mock bonnet by Opening Ceremony and an ironic coin skort by Obesity & Speed”) and “Chloe Sevigny would never actually wear Chip & Pepper.’” It’s all funny. Just watch.

Madeline Weinrib Atelier, a rapidly growing high-end carpet, textile and home accessories design company is looking for interns for Press, their Design Studio and their Atelier Showroom, all based in New York. It is the perfect opportunity for those whose interest in fashion extends beyond the runway and into the home. Applicants must be able to get school credit for this internship, no exceptions. This is an unpaid internship; however a $15 daily stipend is provided.

Requirements for Design Studio Internship:
- Administrative skills
- Detail oriented, patient, ability to multi task, and well organized
- Interest in fine arts, textiles, and/or home fashion industry
- Assembling & shipping samples
- Organizing Inventory

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Name: Michael

Age: 32

Occupation: Graduate student

How would you describe your style? Comfy student style.

What is the most prominent color in your wardrobe?
Grey

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PARIS–Iris Van Herpen is perhaps one of the most creative designers we’ve seen during couture week. Her clothes are made from materials and techniques that are rarely seen in a fashion studio, ranging from plastics used for product design to methods used in architecture.

Her collection yesterday was inspired by digital technology–and that was expressed both in technique and in design.

Her clothes are made using various computer programs, which “allows me to obtain results that would be impossible to do entirely by hand,” Iris told us about her trademark fish scale-like plastic materials, created out of thousands of superimposed, hair-thin strips.

As for the clothes, they looked like they walked right out of Avatar, and we had to keep reminding ourselves we weren’t staring into our computer screen.

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Five years ago, who would have thought someone could make a viable and profitable career out of…well…fashion blogging? It’s safe to say that a certain set of bloggers (ahem, Susie Bubble and Bryanboy) have proven the naysayers wrong.

During Fashion Week, Independent Fashion Bloggers is hosting a seriously major conference at Milk studios in NYC (February 10-11, 2011) that any budding blogger should attend.

The two day conference will be packed with panels, workshops, and a party, plus you’ll score a fabulous gift bag. You’ll also learn about digital marketing, monetizing your blog, the evolution of the industry, and more from blogosphere and online media names like Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine, Face Hunter’s Yvan Rodic, Fashionista alum Faran Krentcil of Nylon, and Tumblr fashion director Rich Tong. The best part? Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are giving the keynote speech.

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Fashionista contributor Long Nguyen is the co-founder/style director of Flaunt.

PARIS–As she emerged from under the black glass backdrop wearing a white tweed wool flare jacket with a spider web of black jet beads dripping down the front and back, Stella Tennant’s incredibly light footsteps and easy composure ushered in a new chapter in the storied history of Chanel Haute Couture. Karl Lagerfeld seems to be saying that couture should be as easy and effortless as wearing jeans.

The starting point of this soft and airy collection was the rejected portrait of Mademoiselle Chanel. It was drawn by the artist Marie Laurencin in 1923 while the designer was working on costumes for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes Le Train Bleu. In that portrait, Chanel wore a soft, one-shoulder dress—but she refused to purchase the painting. In Mr. Lagerfeld’s hands, history is just a momentary reference, an embrace and appreciation of the culture of a different time and place. The spring couture show moved beyond the incredible Spring 2011 ready-to-wear collection, staged in the transformed Grand Palais, into an Alain Resnais 1961 movie set.

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In Defense of Helena Bonham Carter: Carter says her mismatched Golden Globe shoes were all about having fun with fashion. Personally, we love her for breaking the mold. {The Cut}

Mary Katrantzou for Topshop, Again: The eccentric designer’s second capsule collection for Topshop hits stores in February. {Grazia}

Rachel Zoe Is Dying for White:The stylist insists that white is the new black. {Stylelist}

Modern Family Star Spices up Kmart: Sofia Vergara has designed a line for Kmart that will include all the usual suspects of a celebrity collection: jeggings, miniskirts, and tight party dresses. The line hits stores this fall. {WWD, subscription required}

H&M E-Commerce is Coming!: The fast fashion retailer is FINALLY making online shopping available to US residents at the end of next year. H&M, you just made our day! {@hmusa}

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The hundredth anniversary of Palm Beach? The fifth anniversary for antique jewelry boutique, House of Lavande? And one private beach front property? For House of Lavande’s owner, Tracy Smith, all this equaled a spectacular reason to celebrate. The lauded vintage jewelery connoisseur opened her home in Palm Beach’s North End to a chic crowd of New Yorkers. Among the hand selected group of sixty guests were medialites Amanda Hearst, Becka Diamond, Andrew Bevan, Luigi Tadini and Mickey Boardman, as well as designer Chris Benz and stylist Mary Alice Stevenson.

We wish you could have been there too, but we took the liberty of attending on your behalf. While we struggled to interpret the dress code, which called for “modern vintage,” others didn’t. Guests were draped in everything from Michael Kors corduroy suits to vintage Vivienne Westwood. See ow they complemented their wardrobe with Smith’s expertly chosen House of Lavande pieces.

**All photos courtesy of the Billy Farrell Agency.

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I’ve got to admit, I was a bit bearish on the idea that Olivier Theyskens would be designing for Theory. But I’m happy to report that I was off the mark–the clothes look amazing (poga pants, anyone?) and are priced reasonably, with trousers hovering around $400 and blouses starting at about $250. (No, that isn’t cheap, but when you consider the caliber of the design and the product, it makes sense.)

While the collection won’t be available globally until next week, you can buy them on Theory’s US website and in the brand’s Meatpacking Distrtict flagship (right across from Pastis) starting today.

My top picks are the blazers, the poga pants, and the pointy velvet flats. That’s right, I said it. Velvet can look good. At least under Olivier’s supervision.

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Remember Laura Ashley? The nauseating floral prints seemed to be on everyone’s beds in the ’80s.

But the Brit brand has always been more than just bedding–they do women’s and children’s fashion too–and they’re still around, even if Laura Ashley bedspreads and dust ruffles and throw pillow covers are no longer ubiquitous in girls’ bedrooms (and thank goodness for that).

In an effort to stay relevant, Laura Ashley has collaborated with sustainable Fair Trade fashion brand People Tree (the same brand Emma Watson has designed and modeled for), and has re-released classic prints from the ’70s to create a summer collection that’s actually pretty cute. The prints used for the collection were “re-coloured in contemporary shades and printed onto 100% organic cotton silhouettes,” according to the Telegraph.

While the brand has a much stronger presence outside the US, the collection will be available online at Laura Ashley starting in March (read: we can still buy it stateside).

Check out the collection.

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