Hello New York!
A parade of dresses from Dennis Basso but at a $2000 price point...
A parade of dresses from Dennis Basso but at a $2000 price point and a small customer base- who is really going to buy these?
Brian Reyes: New president, edgy strategy
A little biz note on Brian Reyes. A couple months ago (May to be exact) the designer appointed Stephanie Cozzi as president of the brand. Cozzi came from Zac Posen where she was the VP of sales. What I find interesting about Cozzi is her strategy with Reyes- while most CEOs are staying up all night banging their heads against a wall trying to figure out how to prevent bankruptcy, Cozzi is staying up all night thinking of money making strategic alliances (And no, not with the usual Target/JC Penny/ Kohls suspects). The result- a five year lease on a new, larger space for Reyes and Co. as well as a partnership with "Proper Attire" a condom company who makes designer condoms. Edgy! And just a little fyi-- proceeds for every Brian Reyes condom sold will benefit Planned Parenthood. Cool and profitable. I love it.
Trend Alert: short shorts for spring/summer…again. This...
Trend Alert: short shorts for spring/summer…again. This look is from Brian Reyes.
Brian Reyes: doesn’t this look like the skin of a sting...
Brian Reyes: doesn’t this look like the skin of a sting ray? LOVE it.
More from MB Fashion Week: wearable art from Brian Reyes
More from MB Fashion Week: wearable art from Brian Reyes
Manicure break post J. Mendel- OPIs “You Don’t Know...
Manicure break post J. Mendel- OPIs “You Don’t Know Jaques!”In Matte is my new favorite color for fall.
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.
J. Mendel: a few of my favorite things
Five things I LOVE about MB fashion week:1) The big post summer reunion with all of my fashion friends 2) Wearing all of my new fall clothes (MB Fashion Week = back to school for fashion peeps) 3) Spending so much time in Bryant Park 4) Watching the new assistants throw around 'tude to make themselves seem more important 5) THE J. MENDEL PRESENTATION
Yes, Giles Mendel creates pieces that are unbelievebly out of my budget (an average dress costs upwards of $1500- fur coats starting price $5000), but what I love most about this brand is that it does not deviate from their core audience- wealthy women (read: NOT ME) who, despite a horrible recession and cutting back still indulge in a little slice of luxury. What I love even more is this brand has turned a profit (sales up 20%) over the last year while most luxury companies are experiencing sinking revenues. Also the CEO is amazing. Susan Sokol is the former president of Vera Wang, a cancer survivor and all around power woman.
This picture does not do this dress justice- WAY more gorgeous in person!
The signature J. Mendel fur.
I love the back of this dress.
The front of the dress is incredible too!
More gorgeous floor length gowns.
Cocktail dresses!!
This is wearable art.
Rachel Roy- more wearable looks
This look makes me happy.
So does this one. Most of Rachel's pieces sell in stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. (*Note NMGA's same store sales were down by 27.3 % in July. I know- Yikes.)
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.
Beauty beat fashion week- backstage at Lela Rose
Um, how GORGEOUS is this model? She graciously let me take pictures of her glowy skin backstage at Lela Rose.
This is what they were using- the Darphan Aromatic Purifying Balm which smells delish and gave the models that super dewy look. The $74 price tag's a little steep for me (hello, recessionista) so if you want the same look, air brush some Vaseline on your face. Just kidding!
Make up was done by Stilla. LOVE the wearable green!
2007 Fashion Week: Runway To Realway
If you already had a wee hunch the world was going to hell in a hand-basket, your suspicions would have found ample confirmation in the dark, depressing duds trotted out by designers at the Spring 2008 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York, just concluded.
If clothes can be pessimistic, these were.
"Part of the way [my] collection is constructed has to do with the post-apocalyptic world," says Yeohlee Teng, designer and creative director of the Yeohlee line. "[My] collection is about my vision of [the] future, [what clothes will look like] when the world is destroyed and we are without machines to make the clothes."
More from day #1 MBFW: Backstage with Elie Tahari
There are two constant truths in my life: 1) I am ALWAYS running late. 2) I tend to find myself in some pretty unbelieveable situations. Usually those truths never collide into a serendipitous moment, but on Thursday that's EXACTLY what happened when I missed Elie Tahari's presentation (by about half an hour because the Mara Hoffman/Nicholas K/Whitney Eve presentations went over) then RAN INTO Elie Tahari in the hall way of his show room! We talked about Fashion's Night Out which was happening that night (video TK) and his take on it. This is what he said:
"I really think if anyone is going to shop tonight it might be the fashion people. I doubt the general public will come out."
Where I have yet to see the numbers from Fashion's Night Out, Tahari, who told Fashion Wire Daily they have been responding to the market downturn by reducing price points and producing clothes in color palates like beige and sand, expects this collection to retail in 300 locations.
Hitha Prabhakar @ Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek - Elie Tahari from Hitha Prabhakar on Vimeo.
End of Day #3- the Bryant Park trees post Vivienne Tam.
End of Day #3- the Bryant Park trees post Vivienne Tam.
I look at this dress and think “Vegas.” Not sure...
I look at this dress and think “Vegas.” Not sure why.
A lot of gowns at this show. I liked the back of this one.
A lot of gowns at this show. I liked the back of this one.
Hello photogs!
Hello photogs!
Ugh. I forgot my invite and of course my seating assignment....
Ugh. I forgot my invite and of course my seating assignment. TWENTY minutes later, I got in.
Christian Siriano’s show was awesome- but the frenzy...
Christian Siriano’s show was awesome- but the frenzy outside prior to the show was insane.