Let the NYFW Previews Begin!

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

The shows are less than a week away and the previews are pouring in. Flattering, yes, and definitely a tad overwhelming when it comes to the planning part of the operation that's called "NYFW".
When Daniel Silver, 1/2 of Duckie Brown and I walked down the endless stairs from Studio 385 he got me thinking [really] about which designers REALLY ARE my favorites.
"You must have some favorites" he stated. 
"Well yes, Duckie Brown, obviously, I laughed." 
Daniel's question got me thinking on my way back to my car in the ChinaTown lot. Yes, I love Duckie Brown, but what else did I really care about?
The shows I look forward to seeing are the "smaller" and more "avant-garde" ones, even though they take place in New York, not Paris. As they're in New York, they should thus be "commercial". I'm sure my faves sell some clothes as they're still around and not road kill on the path of "used to be" designers. What makes the ones that most intrigue me stand out is the element of surprise.
I've got a few preview shots of some of these shows, and in some cases just a hard copy invite to share.
On the list
Duckie Brown
Buckler
Number Lab [new to me, but I loved the invite, so I'm curious]
Toni Francesc
Jeremy Scott
Academy of Art University [there's always a minimum of one "wow" student showing at this
Douglas Hannant

Number Lab pulled together a bunch of words that made me want to go and see for myself:  

"Taking FLIGHT // ALPINE SKI-JUMPING
Colorado AIR FORCE ACADEMY // ELEVATION
CHIAROSCURO // Zaha Hadid’s BERGISEL Structure
ENDURANCE // NORDIC SKY // ALTITUDE"

Douglas Hannant is having an event held in his honor by Geoffrey Bradfield to celebrate the launch of Douglas Hannant De Robert Piguet.

Jeremy Scott? You just never know what he has in store. I've been a fan since his long-ago "Walk Like An Egyptian" collection.

ANDREW BUCKLER's theme for fall 2011 is "anonymous art" and the idea that "the urban arts and artists [use] the streets as a medium to communicate messages. Anonymous art fuels discussion as the artist questions the conventions of art."

Spaniard Toni Toni Francesc has as his pre-show teaser: 

Phoenix: "Immortality and Renewal"

The image of a chic woman dressed in a drapey white blouse and sporting a Fedora and bright red lips doesn't necessarily remind me of a phoenix, but that's an outfit I'd like to wear, and that's a great starting point.

The [new] Limited: “Designer Flair. Quality Fashion. Value Pricing.

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

If you were a young working professional in the Eighties, you knew all about The Limited. Back then; it was a great place to buy clothes for work that fell into John T. Molloy’s Dress For Success formula. 

Most would have described it as "sensible". If you'd asked the girls if there were outfits there that were inspired and fashionable enough to wear to party at Area, the answer would be, "no".

There were “appropriate”  and decently priced skirts, jackets, blouses and tops to get you through the 9-5 day whether you were a secretary at a Big Eight accounting firm on Sixth Avenue or a Sales Assistant on Wall Street, like me. If you were an Assistant at Conde Nast though, you probably wouldn't have shopped there.

Today’s Limited has split from the Mother Ship Company business [The Limited Brands] retail titan Leslie ["Lex"]Wexner established back then which also includes Victoria’s Secret. Lex, if you’re reading this – Vickie’s Secret was an absolute stroke of genius!

The NEW Limited that I was invited to preview by Paul Wilmot Communications, took place at a chic Chelsea space just off the Westside Highway. From the moment I stepped in, it was obvious that the merch that is now "The Limited" is the much cooler younger sister to her rather stuffy older Baby Boomer sister from the Eighties.

The new Limited targets “the young, professional woman” who needs great basics for work but wants the fashion from top tier designers who retail at stratospheric prices.

PR Paul Wilmot said, in a chat we had a few months earlier about what being "well-dressed", stated, "a black pant is a black pant, as long as it’s well made.”

After thinking about that, I agree with Paul. WHY spend hundreds for a pair of black designer slacks if you can get a nice pair for under $200?.

Of course, there’s nothing like actually trying the merch on yourself, so I went to the SALE area on www.thelimited.com and order two pairs of leggings to wear to power yoga class. [The review on this to come].

Back to the preview -

While there, I inspected the groupings of the latest designs, touched the fabrics, and best of all, spoke at length with Elliot Staples, SVP of Design, The Limited.

 Elliot’s an industry vet who’s got 20 plus years of design and fashion under his belt. This FIT grad, began his career at Adrienne Vittadini, followed by a ten year run at The Gap designing for the men’s division, as well as women's and women's accessories.

He’s spent the last  nine years at The Limited, first as a Design Director and later as Sr. Vice President of Design.  He and his team’s job is to “conceptualize and create the product and look for The Limited client. Elliot has been instrumental in defining the brand image through consistent and innovative design. He's  working hard to gain her trust and become  the ‘trusted editor’, who she can count on to provide her with the latest trends translated for her lifestyle."

In our 9-minute video, Elliot talks about what he and the company are doing to  become the go-to resource for  today's working women and suburban Moms. He makes a lot of good points such as “A great outfit starts with great pants. And great pants start with great fits.”

 He understands that his women want a little bit of the glam  they see on the pages of  Vogue an Harper’s Bazaar at a price that won’t  break their budget. As important as fair pricing, is that The Limited is doing a good job sourcing their fabrics. The fabrics felt nice and that in itself puts The Limited on a level over “masstige” efforts at retailers such as Target. It's well worth a visit to the website www.thelimited.com and to the store if you find yourself in the Chicago area.

Karelle Levy and Her Arty Fashion

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY


About a week ago, I got a non-NYFW related email from “emerging designer” Karelle Levy.
I’ve known Karelle for years, ever since my then-editor at Lucire Magazine asked me to go visit her Miami studio. She picked me up in her Mini-Cooper and I stepped into a wonderland of brightly colored bolts of fabrics – she makes all of her own. What really blew me away was that she works on a loom – yes, a loom, as in what Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on in the fairy tale.
The Email Read:
“It's Karelle from KRELwear.
I flew into town to show my designs at MTV’s SKINS party! What a blast!!
 I’m in town for a week....in my Pop-Up Studio on a cobble stoned street in the West Village. I’d love to have you over for tea and show you my stylin' one of a kind KNIT fashions that have been featured on the fabulous Nicki Minaj, at the Scope Art Fair, The Standard Hotel gift shop, and various spots around the world.”

MTV, hmm. Interesting. I hopped into the Volvo and zoomed down the Saw Mill Parkway to finally check-out Karelle’s “Quickie Couture” project for myself, and maybe even to have her make me one.
It was great to catch-up. Krel’s found that “NY is so great for connections.”
These days she seems to be on a travel schedule rivaling ‘Michael Clayton’s’. She’ll be back in NYC in April/May, Miami in March (ongoing popups at the Standard and Lace2 Mani-Pedis in the Portofino towers) and Paris June/July and the Hamptons late summer.

Karelle’s a special designer because she’s managed to fuse her fashion and art sensibilities into a unique formula that works for her. True, she’s STILL “emerging”, but she’s still here, and her fans are still buying.
“True, she says in our chat as she whips me up my wave print vest, it’s a difficult time. It’s been really hard to stay in the game, the boutiques no longer exist, and the ones who remain won't be supporting emerging designers.”
Instead of throwing in the towel, Karelle is acting and using the social media to continue to gain awareness to her work. She’s fashioned a deal with MTV to dress the girls on MTV Skins in some adorable one of a kind dresses that glow in the dark. They really DO – we went into the bathroom, shut the door and the dress lit up like a rainbow when Karelle shone a small black light on it.
Her “Quickie Couture” project is her most successful project to date. Thus far, she’s whipped-up close to 900 of these pieces at pop ups including the big Scope Art Fair where her space was THE #1 booth, and turned into the place to go and hang. That’s just what her vibe is though: arty fashion that’s fun, friendly, and cool.




We talked a good bit about just HOW TO survive and even [gasp, succeed] in this recession/depression. Have a listen to the video to see what Karelle has learned along the way.

As far as the future, Karelle has this to say:
“What were going thru has never been seen, there's no template."

What she’d like to do in the future: “I would love to have a room in a museum where the models are dressed dayglo lurex.”

*Where To Find and Follow Karelle and her Krelwear
www.krelwear.com

www.krelwear.blogspot.com

THeHUnt: Project Vuitton Bag - Successful!

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

A FEW MONTHS AGO, I bought a decrepit Louis Vuitton bag from Inga, one of my fave consignment sellers in Port Chester, NY at Deja Vu Consignments. It was just the right size - a big drawstring duffle, for $50, I knocked-over the woman by the counter [almost] to grab it.
Okay,  so it didn't have a shoulder strap and the bottom was " a little bit worse for the wear and tear", but STILL.

I took my prize to Felipe, my shoe guy at SHOE SERVICE PLAZA for a diagnosis. I've spoken about Felipe before - his years as the resident fix anything gem at Shoe Service in New York City. That was the go-to place for all the fashion houses and magazines when it came to quality repairs to luxe accessories from Vuitton, Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo.
This particular repair I was presenting Felipe with was going to be a doozie, but he was fascinated, and like the true craftsman he is, viewed it as a challenge.
We initially only added a shoulder strap and that lasted for a few weeks until the worn-out side straps inconveniently snapped while I was at the Orlando airport.

Back to Felipe and for some major cosmetic surgery.
The Prognosis - The Vuitton bag needs:
New leather base
New piping
New strap
New leather drawstring

With all of this, Felipe couldn't even guess what it would run but promised me "a good price". I gave over the bag to him and his brother and hoped for the best.

As you'll see from the before and after pics, this repair is nothing short of a miracle.
The cost: $90, but "heavy" repairs like this can run you in the $200s.

Resources
Shoe Service Plaza: tel: 203-297-6040, ask for Felipe.
www.stonyhillshoerepair.com
email: shoeserviceplaza@hotmail.com

Deja Vu Consignment
[Voted Westchester's Best]

tel: 914-481-1160, ask for Inga

The Debut of Ports 1961 - Men's - Classic and Suave Debuts at Milan Fashion Week

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
Yes, we're STILL in a recession, but some companies are not just "staying the course" as George W. [Bush] was wont to say, when faced with crisis. Duckie Brown is launching a women's line and their collaboration with Florsheim is expanding and there are other partnerships with big brands on the table. Michael Kors continues his push for world domination, following in the footsteps of Ralph Lauren. Ralph has opened a fabulous store to end all stores in NYC.
Most recently, one of my favorite "smaller" brands, Ports1961, is venturing into menswear. Ports holds a special place in my heart, ever since I attended their first small presentation in a studio in The Forbidden Zone [somewhere in the twenties and ninth or tenth Aves.] years ago. My friend, Mimi Liebeskin [one of the most chic women I've ever met] and I declared ourselves "in love" after the shortie presentation was over. Why? Because we both travel - a lot - and could imagine ourselves wearing every single one of these classic with a twist pieces, many in flattering neutrals in interesting fabrics.
Since then, the Cibanni sisters have stuck to their original aesthetic but have also taken risks - which I love - and is something that is normally reserved for "avant garde" collections one sees on the Paris runways.
One of the best was the "Patti Smith Collection" a few seasons back. Bingo. It was arty, intellectual and cool, like the chanteuse herself.
Ports debuted their PORTS 1961 Menswear Collection in Milan this month.
When Simone of Atelier PR sent me the announcement and pics of Ports1961 mens, I was initially stunned at how, well, "square?" the guys looked in their precisely cut suits and coats. Then, I "got" it. The men are a foil to the more adventuresome Ports women and there ARE some fundamental similarities when you start looking more closely.
Part of Ports1961's [women's] underlying DNA is its classic wearability. As PR Director, Tony Alcindor told me, "We try to make pretty clothes that women want to wear." It SOUNDS so simple, but it's not, really, but every season, despite some more avant garde inclinations, there are ALWAYS pieces that will find a long-term home in a woman's closet. Every spring, I eagerly take out my lipstick red zip front cotton sweater and celebrate the start of spring and not needing to wear a coat. In fact, it's already been packed for my April Puerto Vallarta trip.
Taking the conversation back to men's, this line is a collaboration between designers Fiona Cibanni and Ian Hylton. Ian's "a name" in the fashion biz, but I had to do a little research. Turns-out, Ian is THE EVERYTHING MAN. He's a merchant, creative director and designer. He started out in 1985, helping to launch Club Monaco later-on, helped to "re-invigorate" the Men’s business and to develop a brand extension for home called Caban. From there, he worked with Saks Fifth Avenue and launched Suede magazine. As Vice President of Ports International he's now flexing his creative muscle with Fiona for Ports Men's.

Ports1961 Menswear DNA:
Classical sculpture is at the core as is "the finest Italian tailoring and the most advanced fabrics to achieve the highest level of luxury. This collection reflects the quintessentially modern need to maintain an enduring classicism in today’s world."
The press release says it best,
"This season, Ports 1961’s menswear throws down the gauntlet to declare: from now on, only the best of everything...is good enough."
Who can argue with that?

Packing for NYFW/10-Day Trip to Paree

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
Nowadays, life is much ore homogenized. I used to rail against it, hated to see a McDonalds deface the Champs Elysee.
‘What, I asked, was the point of driving through America when everything now looks the same?’
Earlier this winter, I was in New Hampshire and then a week later, in Orlando. While on the road in my rental, seeking-out consignment stores, I had a sense of déjà vu. No mater where I was, there were strip mall centers with Applebee’s, McDonalds, Blockbuster, Staples, and Dunkin Donuts.

It just occurred to me though, that this homogenization could be a GOOD thing when it comes to travel. For the past few years, whether I’ve been packing for a week to attend LA Fashion Week, or NYFW or for 10 days in Paris, the contents of my suitcase are pretty much THE SAME.
This does NOT mean that I’m a boring dresser though.
It’s inevitable that I have to check my bag. A duffle-worth of clothes for a week away just doesn’t cut it. All that’s happened when I tried that “less is more” approach was that I had to buy a few things to supplement what I wish I hadn’t left behind.

Here are the items that are going in my rollie brown and white suitcase for NYFW/10 days in Paris.

There are a few ways to cheat, first and foremost being to wear as much as possible while traveling to your destination. Wear your heaviest coat, shoe/boot, and layer as much as possible.
In my case, that means I’ll wear: a black concert tee [The Runaways], with a heavy black turtleneck by UnderArmour, a black cashmere tee shirt and an oversize black cashmere Zoran hoodie over that. On the bottom, comfy jeans by Converse/John Varvatos, thick fuzzy sock and black Prada military lace up Boots. The outer layer is either a vintage fox coat or a dark brown subzero weight Lands End down coat that goes to midcalf. My head will be toasty warm with a navy/white pull on Under Armour fleece cap, and an orange plaid Burberry scarf will protect my neck.
A pair of REALLY warm gloves is on my shopping list, and a trip over to Dick’s Sporting Goods is on my list to fill in that gap.

In the suitcase, I always pack the shoes FIRST, as they take-up the most space. As the weather is nasty, and I’ll be on the streets a lot, the list is streamlined down to the aforementioned Prada boots, a shorter pair of gray square toed Miu Mix ankle boots with a flat driving sole, Chanel tan and black ballet slippers, black canvas Chuck Taylor sneaks, and a pair of J. Crew platform grosgrain flip-flops for the hotel room.
Next, underwear, 2 PJS and my thicker than thick Missoni hooded robe.

As far as clothes, Jeans rule the day. I limit it to 3 pair, and a pair of gray thin wale cords, a few Petit Bateau tees, short and long sleeves [red/white and navy/white].

Sweaters and jackets are the most important and a chance to have a little fun with the wardrobe. That doesn’t mean you’re not packing the basics – always a large space in the suitcase for them.
THE BASICS ARE…a black cashmere tee, a black merino or cashmere crewneck, a huge turtleneck [black and one in a fun color], sweater vests, and one LBD. My winter one is a long sleeve wool knee length number that looks very much like the dress Jacqueline Bessette was photographed wearing at a long ago MET ball.
Take two jackets, but make sure one is black. The other one can be tweed and if you’re lucky it’s got CHANEL on the label.
Accessories are where you can have a little fun. Scarves and necklaces take very little space and give your clothes a bit of individuality. Recently, I’ve become interested in pins, such as the “Duchess of Windsor” ones I wrote about in a Carolee Post last month.
All in all, the above will get you through your trip and if you hate black, just choose another neutral. All of the above black pieces can be subbed with all navy, or camel, or white pieces.
Bon Voyage, and see you at the shows!

THe HUnt in a Berkshires Winter WonderLand

Text, Vivian Kelly
I LOVE THE BERKSHIRES - specifically that little pocket of the world that includes Stockbridge, Lakeville, Interlaaken, and now, Great Barrington.The Red Lion Inn, the piece de resistance at 30 Main Street in Stockbridge has been on my "LOVE!" list since I was seven years old, and my Papa took me swimming in the pool there. Since then, I've stayed at most of the buildings, including the O'Brien and Stevens Houses with two different husbands and in all four seasons at some point. My most recent trip was this past Martin Luther King weekend, where we stayed in the Main House, on the Third Floor, right across from the Library. What could be better? With plenty of time to explore, we walked the floors, checking out the display cases, and the Norman Rockwells on the walls, and looked for SIMON, the pampered "house cat". Simon is a celebrity at the Red Lion, you can even buy pictures of him in the Gift Shop downstairs. Another great thing, pet lovers, pets are actually welcome at this lovely 4-Star Establishment - gasp. Just remember, we're not in France, so they can't hang in the dining rooms and sit on your lap when you're downstairs in the Lion's Den enjoying the live music. That aside, it was amazing to step back in time and take the historic birdcage elevator up to the room and to wake-up and go down to breakfast without ever having to go outside. Of course, THe HUnt is always on, and this weekend was no exception.The score this time was next door, at Seven Arts, at 44 Main Street. We went in to kill 10 minutes and to warm-up and left 45 minutes later with 4 fabulous LIFE Magazines which I'm getting framed to display in the Home Office.There were tons of pop culture ones to pull from but the winners who went home with me: Jackie O, Jane Fonda, Ingrid Bergman, and an anonymous [but very glam] young couple living the gypsy life in Greece in the Seventies. I went a little overboard, but they had a deal going on, buy 3 get 1 free, so....Anyhow, the total only came to $37.08 for unforgettable images of 3 of my fave fashion icons.The other score was in Great Barrington, which is FAR more chic than the run-down town I remember from years past. If you're pressed for time, hit SOCo, have some of their famous ice cream and then a cup of Harney's chamomile tea to warm up and go right across the street to KAREN ALLEN Fiber Arts. I am most definitely NOT the "crunchy granola" type of girl you see in places like Park Slope, Brooklyn, so my galpal D., had to talk me into going in. D. has incredible personal style and I "die" every-time I visit her current living space, so anytime she tells me something is great, I go with it, because she's always right, whether it's about someplace in Nantucket, Ridgefield, or now, Great Barrington. We discovered colorful children's hats in the back, handmade by Karen's sister, Kathleen Crawford. I restrained myself, and bought only 1 of the 3 I liked, but like Arnold [Schwarzenneger] so famously said, "I'll be back."

Lodging and Shopping Info

The Red Lion Inn
30 Main Street
Stockbridge, MA 01262
(413) 298-5545
(413) 298-5130 Fax
www.redlioninn.com

Seven Arts
44 Main Street
PO Box 520
Stockbridge, MA 01262

(413) 298-5101
www.rockwell-stockbridge.com

Karen Allen Fiber Arts
8 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230
Tel: 4135288555www.karenallen-fiberarts.com