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How to Make It in Fashion: June 21, Dream Hotel Downtown, New York

Resort 2012 New York

Monday July 18th, 2011

Antipodium Resort 2012: Uniform With A Hint Of Kink
Look Book

Antipodium Resort 2012: Uniform With A Hint Of Kink

by Misty White Sidell

With an armful of organza and shrimp-printed dresses, Geoffrey Finch of Antipodium London headed stateside last month to show off his uniquely wearable brand. With “the shirtdress always at the core of the collection,” Finch has moved from fall’s gaucho influence to polished Sydney hipster for resort, offering extremely layer-able pieces in a full range of neutrals and a pièce de résistance green that he considers “a bit clinical.” Each season, the designer enlists the help of an illustrator friend to create his prints, which “have sort of a cult following.” For resort, Finch consulted fellow Aussie Karl Maier, who created textiles featuring an awkwardly endearing shrimp.

Finch is well acquainted with multitasking, a trait that’s evident in the versatile pieces he designs for Antipodium. “There’s always a hint of kink with a uniform element,” Finch said of his signature aesthetic. For resort, he’s created oversize boxy blazers, fluid silk button downs and linear organza skirts, all of which can be effortlessly mixed and matched to your chic heart’s desire.

Click through our gallery to see the full collection.

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Published at 4:54 PM

Thursday June 23rd, 2011

Wednesday June 15th, 2011

Pierre Hardy Cruise 2012: Wedges of Distinction
Fashion Week

Pierre Hardy Cruise 2012: Wedges of Distinction

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I feel like every time I’m flipping through a magazine and see a pair of shoes that I’m coveting, they are inevitably Pierre Hardy. There is something so completely cool and modern about his shoes, and they’re never too precious. While he’s best known for his signature sky high wedges, which he produces in several iterations faithfully every season, Hardy also produces a dizzying array of other styles that are equally strong.

Although there was no overarching theme for the Pierre Hardy cruise collection, he was obviously feeling a bit mod and graphic. The aqua/orange/pink color combination appears on wedges, strappy sandals, and ladylike kitten heels. A cool aqua blue really popped on a variety of caged sandals and wedges. Need something a bit more toned down? Wedge boat shoes and pop art sneakers should fit the bill.

Click through to see the collection in all its glory:

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Published at 4:24 PM
Mulberry Spring/Summer 2012: Beside the Seaside
Fashion Week

Mulberry Spring/Summer 2012: Beside the Seaside

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Mulberry’s DNA is 50% charm and 50% quirk and their resort RTW collection (called spring/summer by the label) didn’t disappoint in that regard. The collection, an homage to English beach culture, includes prints, rhinestones, fruit, and donkeys–plus those absolute necessities: tweed and a rain mac.

Donkey rides, as I learned at the Mulberry presentation, are a beloved beach tradition in England, and the lowly beasts feature on soft sweatshirts–including one for your four-legged friend. The prints, named Bonkers Beach and Stripy Straws, are the happiest things I’ve seen in ages. Bonkers Beach, a small colorful montage of beachy images, appears on loose tailored shorts and a shirtdress. Stripy Straws, based on a picture creative director Emma Hill took after she threw some straws on the ground, pop up everywhere–the print’s especially effective on scarves.

Tiny, colorful rhinestones were sprinkled liberally on everything from tops to dresses to faded pointy-toed denim pumps. And the fruit theme seen everywhere this spring seems to be continuing, albeit in a cheekier version at Mulberry. Happy pears and apples, often with stick-on googly eyes, frolic on tops, sweaters, and bikinis.

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Published at 3:15 PM

Tuesday June 14th, 2011

Look Book: Opening Ceremony Resort 2012
Resort 2012 New York

Look Book: Opening Ceremony Resort 2012

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As if Opening Ceremony wasn’t already the coolest of the cool, they made their first foray into resort with a line inspired by the chic dressed-down style of summer music festivals. The lookbook, shot by Tim Barber, debuted yesterday on their website and features the ethereal beauty Camille Rowe. With button downs, little floral skirts, both fitted and floating dresses and comfy sweaters, there’s a piece for every hole (or craving) in your wardrobe.

They took an outdoorsy approach to their prints, which were designed by the store’s in-house art department using a palette of acid green, deep coral, midnight blue and charcoal. Tiny blossoms are scattered across the fabrics to mimic windswept fields of wildflowers and, in a homage to the Year of the Rabbit, there are some soft-as-a-bunny sweaters adorned with patches of fur and a few bunny-shaped barrettes in the model’s hair.

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Published at 4:08 PM

Friday June 10th, 2011

Suno Resort 2012: Polynesian Postcard
Resort 2012 New York

Suno Resort 2012: Polynesian Postcard

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When I was a kid, I had a book of old Hawaiian surfing stories with a 50’s-postcard style cover showing a bronzed surfer girl riding a wooden board, the flower in her flowing black hair matching her bright bikini. Being from a small beach town and having caught a few waves myself, I was totally obsessed with that image; I wanted to be perpetually tan and frolic through palm trees and make dresses out of hibiscus blossoms.

Obviously, things turned out a bit differently, and I’m left to sip coconut water in a park. But just as the heat descended upon the city and I began to lament the lack of fresh ocean air, Suno delivered a much needed dose of that Polynesian brilliance for resort 2012. Their prints are always fantastic and this resort collection didn’t disappoint; it pays homage to those same postcard-esque fronds, fruit and florals in a splashy ensemble that avoids the garish, bad-tourist-shirt vibe one often associates with tropical prints.

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Published at 3:35 PM

Thursday June 9th, 2011

Sophie Theallet Resort 2012: Slinky Sportswear
Resort 2012 New York

Sophie Theallet Resort 2012: Slinky Sportswear

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Sophie Theallet’s resort woman likes her suiting as she likes her sheets: made of fine silk, deliciously rumpled and falling off shoulders. For the 2012 collection, Theallet channeled that innate French girl ability to appear impeccably put together from the moment she hopped out of bed. She waves both her Parisian and American flags with the navy, crème and deep pink palette and sportswear sets that are tweaked just so; a baseball-jacket-style cardigan over tailored white shorts says U.S.A., while her French shines through in slouching jackets over trousers. There’s an especially wonderful red-trimmed white blazer that hints at a cool evening on a yacht, the topper to nothing but a bikini and a tan. The most gorgeous pieces are the down-to-there silk shirts, like half of a wrap dress that begs to be undone. There are a few short pleated frocks, some playful button downs in prints of orange and pink or navy and white–the resortwear staple–but the stand-out dresses are the longer gowns, slinky yet flattering. This is not a skintight bandage affair. A navy, one-shoulder sheath positively drips down the curves of the body, as does a raspberry silk number with shoulders peeking from small cut-outs in the short sleeves. This is a woman who can both take and bring the heat with equal nonchalance, producing equal amounts of desire and jealousy. Click through to view the collection.

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Published at 12:15 PM

Thursday June 2nd, 2011

YSL Cruise 2012: Hope and Anchors
Fashion Shows

YSL Cruise 2012: Hope and Anchors

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With his brown, curly hair made golden by the sun, Yves Saint Laurent designer Stefano Pilati looked as though he had just stepped off a yacht at yesterday’s Cruise 2012 show, which took place at the Haunch of Venison gallery in midtown Manhattan.

So did his girls, who were decked out in deck-worthy wares, from peasant blouses striped with ropes to navy blazers adorned with weighty anchors. The color palette was traditional: red, white, and blue with dashes of yellow, and we’d say pretty fresh. Along with the easy hair–a low ponytail at the nape of the neck made special with a slight rockabilly wave in the front–the clothes, from the leather pleated skirt to the tiny floral rompers, appeared comfortable. We’re also fond of Pilati’s frequent use of puffed sleeves–they make any outfit look pretty. And when it comes to the resort collections, that’s a good thing.

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Published at 11:48 AM