This happened today: the @Reem_Acra bridal/ RTW sample sale. Happening again tomorrow from 10a- 5p. 240 west 35th st 7th floor. Get it and go!
Hi-fi shoes: What fashion week was REALLY about
An $850 million acquisition of online retailer Zappos.com by Amazon. The Sex and the City sequel where extras are clamouring for Carrie Bradshaw's shoes. Children's footwear posting an 11.8% dollar volume in sales increase. While the retail industry in almost all areas is experiencing one of the worst economic downturns in recent history, the shoe industry in the last three months has proven to be a bright light at the end of a very dark, damp, dismal, depressing tunnel. “When the product is right and offers multiple reasons for wear, the purchases will come,” according to Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for The NPD Group in an interview done by just-style.com.
“Consumers are showing they want footwear and are willing to show their passion on their feet rather than on their backs.”
Cohen's sentiments could not be more true considering what I saw Mercedes- Benz fashion week. While the most of the collections had buyers barely raising an eyebrow, the shoes on the runway caught everyone's attention. here are some of my favorites:
Check out these Giuseppe Zanotti for Balmain animal print boots. Yes they are priced at over $1,000 but guess what? People are buying them like crazy. Why? Because this country's mantra when it comes to spending is "where there's a will, there's a way." We'll discuss that later.
Another Giuseppe Zanotti for Balmain boot. Awesome right?
These are my FAVORITE.
Again, another crazy pair of shoes from Giuseppe Zanotti. What would you wear these with?
I think Rhianna was eyeing these...
While it's not really my thing to a) spend upwards of $300 on a pair of shoes and b) purchase anything at full retail price, these shoes were worth talking about because they are metallic. I have several pairs of metallic shoes and they are the best accessories in my closet!
J. Mendel: accessories
I've talked a lot about the dresses and how this company is doing over all, BUT I didn't point out the incredible accessories which adorned the models. Check out these dazzlers:
GOD this is my kind of necklace! What I love most- you can wear it with a gorgeous gown (pictured here) or with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt!
Again- wearable art! Just awesome.
Rachel Roy- wrap dress or wearable bath robes?
Rachel told me her way of dealing with the recession was to self edit more and put looks down the runway that would a) resonate with the consumer and b) sell at retail. Hmm. This look kinda reminds me of a bathrobe my mother used to wear back in the early 80s. Not sure how well that's gonna sell since I don't see bathrobes being a staple on the red carpet.
Polygamist's have style too!
OK maybe it's not something you and I would wear, but the AP is reporting those modest parie skirts, puff sleeve pastel dresses and poofy hair dos we've been seeing ALL OVER THE NEWS have roots in the 19th century and also the 1950s. This conformist way of dressing is to ensure these ladies are unattractive to the outside world or other men. But what happens when this stuff goes mainstream?? I am expecting to see a bunch of hipsters rockin' this look very soon... in an ironic way of course...
Lunching at Saks Fifth Ave.
I rarely have time for lunch- much less a sit-down-two-hour lunch, but today was SO WORTH IT. Saks Fifth Avenue held their annual Holiday Luncheon for the fashion industry peeps and not only was I able to see old friends, it was also nice to take a minute and indulge in some holiday cheer (since I hate the holidays). Catherine Maladrino was unusually nice. She sat at our table and was wearing a bright red dress with a pleated skirt, accessorized with a black patent leather belt. Zac Posen was wearing a tweed cape and Peter Som was casual in jeans and a sweater. Thank you to the lovely ladies at Saks PR team for inviting me- you know who you are and I adore you!!