Belgium

I will be going to Belgium on a quick 4-day jaunt this long weekend. I will be visiting Antwerp, the country's fashion capital and the home base for Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela, Veronique Branquinho, and Olivier Theyskens. I will then be heading to Brussels and will make my way to Paris on route back home. I look forward to visiting some of the shops, like the infamous Antwerp glove shop Huis A Boon and the Brussels vintage shops. I also hope to snap some shots of Belgian street fashion . Of course I will be reporting back but most likely not until Tuesday when I return, unless I am able to find an hours worth of Internet access.

NY Fashion Week Countdown

New York Fashion Week is fast approaching, only 6 more days to go, and everyone, as usual, is prepping in anticipation of a non-stop, jam-packed schedule. Style.com previews the week's happenings and Refinery 29 has takes us behind the scenes with their video footage.

Photo:style.com

Style Spotlight: Naomi Campbell

Naomi does it again! I think she looks fabulous in this frothy champagne-toned frock. Very classy, very chic. I do think however that it is a tad too big for her as her breasts are not doing a very good job at sitting nicely in the dress. It needs to be pulled, tucked and tightened just a tad as it is just begging for a wardrobe malfunction.

Photo:wireimage.com

Crystal Renn for Mango

I think the Mango fall 2007 advertising campaign featuring Crystal Renn looks fabulous. I did not recognize her until I read that Mango is using her in their fall advertising as to represent the fact that they are expanding their size range, which will now include size 2 to 14. I didn't know that including a size 14 merits an entire advertising campaign to promote it. Shouldn't size 14 be included in regular sizing? Yes, ok that they are a European retailer but if you cross over to this size of the world you should adapt your size scale and offer the normal size ranges. I would think so at least. As far as I am concerned they are not doing anything novel, this side of the pond at least.

Photo: dailymail.co.uk

Fall Trends 2007: The Red Lip

Sure the fall trends have you pulling out your (or your mother's) snake skin bag from the '70's, we are seeing enough grey sweaters to last us an entire lifetime, and there are more animal accessories on humans than ever before (I trend I loathe, as you all know by now), oh yes and there is enough patent going around you'd think there was a ration on leather but one of the biggest trends of the season, and one that will cost you a mere $2.99, is the red lip. Even though the nude lip made quite a strong repeat appearance, the red lip makes a statement that a MAC See Thru Lipglass, for example, just cannot compete with. Wear the new red lip during the day matte as opposed to glossy.

Gucci

Roberto Cavalli

Valentino

Proenza Schouler

Photos: style.com

Style Spotlight: The Distinguished Gentleman

The definition of a Distinguished Gentleman is perfectly portrayed in this photograph of Nacho Figueras, the 30-year-old Argentine polo player / Ralph Lauren model. He looks exceptional in this (what I assume is a) Polo Ralph Lauren navy stripe suit.

Photo: thesartorilaist.blogspot.com

Quote of the Day

"I've really tried to use succes to grow. I think you can use success in two ways. You can either become arrogant, or you can become more humble and pay more attention to people..."

Diane von Furstenburg

Anna Passes on Paris

Quite the news story for the fashion worlds...Anna Wintour has announced that she will not be attending Paris Fashion Week (September 30 - October 7) but will instead make her appearance at London Fashion Week (September 15-20) which is quite an unusual feat for London. Read more...

Katie Grand for Mulberry

Katie Grand, the Contributing Fashion Editor at Harper's Bazaar, stylist for the likes of Prada and Louis Vuitton, as well as other magazine gigs, like running her own show for Pop, has been named Creative Director of Mulberry and will oversee the design of men's and women's clothing, handbags, and small leather goods. Read more...

Claudia Still Has It...

The German Vogue features a 9-page fashion spread with Claudia Schiffer (August 2007). Every page is breathtaking. The 36-year-old Supermodel still lives up to her title. She looks fantastic. I think these are some great fashion photos, (taken by the English photographer Alexi Lubomirski). I like to refer to it (the styling, photography, etc) as a pristine, prim and perfect definition of fashion.

The Germans

The cover of the German Vogue (August 2007) features the beautiful blond statuesque German models - Claudia Schiffer, Nadja Auermann, and Julia Stegner. I think the cover is quite captivating, I would love to see such a cover for American Vogue.

Style Spotlight: Stella McCartney

I love the mix of bright purple satin sandals with a steel grey satin dress. Most of us, myself included, would have probably grabbed a metallic or black pair, but bright pop colored footwear adds a lively, mischievous and playful vibe.

Photo:wireimage.com

Fall Must-Have: Burberry

I have been in search for the perfect pair of black ballet flats for a while now, and I haven't seemed to find any that I like until my eyes fell upon these chic leather Burberry quilted travel slippers at NET-A-PORTER.COM. These little flats will carry me many places this fall as they are a versatile go-anywhere shoe. A definite must for travel, work, weekend, and beyond.

Photo: net-a-porter.com

Fall Must-Have: Marc by Marc Jacobs

My first purchase of the season is this Marc by Marc Jacobs handbag. I was immediately hooked the minute I saw it on saks.com. I love the slouchy, rugged style and while the ruby color is nice I am sold on the stone color. This will definitely be my throw on with anything bag for day, and it will be my official fashion week bag. (Note to Self: must start planning FW wardrobe as it is only 2.5 weeks away)

Photo: saks.com

Fall Shopping List I

Start your fall shopping with shopbop.com's Fall Foundations. Wide leg pants, structured bags, statement jackets and ankle booties are a must on my list.

Book Club: Deluxe

A new tome delving into the corporate reality of the luxury industry and the latest fashion "it" book to hit your local book shop or Amazon.com(on shelves today) is Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Lusterby Dana Thomas. The Newsweek writer documents her discoveries and run-ins with the industry over the past 20 years. Amongst some hard edged industry facts, is some hot gossip and a rather intriguing look into the evolution of luxury. Another great industry-related book to add to your collection.

Update: Saks Shoe Department

Check out Saks' New 8th Floor Shoe Department. I am very excited to ride the elevator to the 8th floor and feast my eyes on some candy for the sole!

Everyone is Talking About...

Saks Fifth Avenue's new shoe department. The new department will carry in excess of 10,000 pairs of shoes, everyone from Dior, to Miu Miu and Jimmy Choo to newcomers Brian Atwood, Sergio Rossi and Costume National and every other designer label in between. The new digs will occupy the 8th floor and, get this, will have its own zip code (granted by the U.S. Postal Service), complete with its own (limited edition) designer stamps. I think that this new space will be the litmus test for a new brand's make-it-or-break-it barometer and an existing brand's shelf-life power. Sort of like the leverage Barneys or Fred Segal gives to a brand name. I could imagine this space being a testing grounds for new styles and a harbour for exclusive styles.

Click to see a Floor Plan.

Click to read the New York Post Article.

Photo: Christian Louboutin Very Prive 942 Pumps $770 saksfifthavenue.com

Style Spotlight: Ladylike Chic

The opposite of tough girl chic...how black could look elegant and ladylike. Once again it's all about the accessories - pumps, bare legs, sheer, or opaque hose and a fitted trench. All of which can have that "tough girl" vibe as well but I think it is all in the way you pair your accessories together that makes the difference.

Photos: the sartorialist

Style Spotlight: Tough Girl Chic

An example of how black could give off that "tough girl" image. It is all about the accessories -oversized frames, gladiator sandals, black leather, leather boots, a trench coat...and eschewing any traces of a smile helps as well.

Photos: the sartorialist

The Unnecessary Luxury

Jimmy Choo's latest it item is this $28,000 limited-edition crocodile Bari bag complete with its own fur blanket. Besides the fact that this is so unnecessary, (by now, I think we are all kind of used to the un-necessities the fashion world produces) why does a fashion house like Choo and all the other luxury accessory houses need to use animal skins?Why? Why do you need a mink blanket for your handbag and why do you need to put your cell phone, lipstick and wallet into a skinned crocodile?

Photo: style.com

The House of Holland

For those whom have been seeing these flashy, oversized, sloganed tees of late, they are from Brit designer Henry Holland. His label, House of Holland, popped up on the runways last season at London's Fashion East Show, a project aimed at getting new and upcoming designers international exposure. His double entendred rhymes/puns splattered over neon bright tees have been quite the editorial hit, creeping up in magazines across the globe from American Elle, Teen Vogue and Marie Claire, to Russian Vogue, Grazia Middle East, Famous Australia to Elle UK, the Sunday Times and London Daily Telegraph. His collections, so far, have been divided up into three categories Fashion Groupies, Pleb or Celeb?, and New Designs (I am assuming he couldn't quite come up with a name for this group). The tees are sold at Harvey Nichols in London, Barneys in NY and Colette in Paris among other international points of sale, such as Ambush in Singapore. The shirts range from $40 to $70 and if you so which to sport them I suggest you do so quickly before the fun wares out. And I am confident that in a couple of months, weeks maybe, these fun little tees will just be another entry into fashion's history. I think though, that they are fun and whimsical and exactly what the industry needs from time to time - a diversion off the beaten fashion path. Who knows he may be the next Galliano!

Photos: style.com

The Fashion Box

BoomBox, London's IT party where fashion, music, creativity, sweat and fun collide, is the party/the nightclub of our times. So much so that it gets airlifted to different cities for a one night, and one night only appearance - Paris did it for fashion week and so did Milan. It's eccentricity, it's energetic, it is where exhibitionists come out to play and street urchins come out to party and it is where the fashion radar is right now...welcome to BoomBox. Model Agyness Deyn and designer Henry Holland take us to the party via style.com.

Style Spotlight: Naomi Watts

I recently came across this radiant image of a very pregnant Naomi Watts in Zac Posen at the MET's Annual Costume Institute Gala. I think the gown is extravagant, as Zac Posen always is, but I think Naomi Watts pregnant in this Zac Posen gown is even more extravagant and is the epitome of pregnancy chic. This image represents that fairytale (some) girls have of being an incredible stylish pregnant woman -happy, radiant and incredibly fashionable.

Photo: style.com

Anna Wintour According to Carine Roitfeld

By now I am sure most of you have seen these Anna Wintour look-a-like images from the Paris Vogue (August issue) but I had to post them as I think that this interpretation by Carine Roitfeld, her team and the talented Snejana Onopka, who who interprets Ms. Wintour perfectly, are well, only one word can really say it - amazing. This looks so much like Ms. Wintour, from the hair, make-up, wardrobe to the posture and gestures that I, for a second, really thought it was Ms. Wintour with an impeccable Photoshop job. After looking at these images I think the American Vogue editrix should consider refining that classic bob and dying it this brilliant shade of carmel-chestnut, I think it would suit her fine.


The Ukrainian model Snejana Onopka as herself, backstage at Alessandro Dell'Acqua's fall 2007 show.

Photos: fashiontribes.com, style.com

The Restructuring of Elle Magazine

As reported by the New York Times, Elle Magazine is going through a restructuring phase. I am an avid reader of the magazine but truthfully there are some sections that I feel could be completely eliminated -Elle Fashion Genius (not necessary), Elle MustKnowSeeHearWatchRead (could be edited), Elle Men (not necessary), the entire section right after Elle Living and right before the fashion pages, and the final page, Elle Cherchez La Femme (not what you call going out with a bang).

The fashion merchandising pages are great but the fashion spreads do seem quite repetitive (as the article points out). I think we have seen that image of the sexily clad girl in the "desert oasis" one too many times, or the Adriana Lima type model and her model boyfriend walking the streets of Paris cloaked in street-inspired fashions. The photography is spectacular but the content is very predictable. In the same vein, are the covers, and what is with the overuse of cover lines, they are practically dizzying.

I think in general the magazine needs to be streamlined, kind of like giving it a feng shui or zen approach. Fashion content needs to be dominant but the pages should also be filled with other worldly reads, I think that is an important factor in producing a visually stimulating, yet intellectual magazine.

Oh, and Lindsay Lohan for the cover, again? Why? Why for the second consecutive September issue (she was on the 2006 cover) and why for the cover of the most important issue of the year? Once again repetitive.

Ah yes, and one last thing, since we are on the topic, it would be great, really great, if they could start including some prices in their beauty merch pages.

Joe Zee, the new creative director was quoted saying - “I would love to see a girl walking down the street and be dressed like our pages, and for someone to look at her and say: ‘Oh my God. She is so Elle.’ ” - that would be an amazing feat. One which I think is achievable in time.

NY Fashion Week Spring 2008

The first-round of the fashion calendar is out, check out mbfashionweek.com.

Online Shopping Update

Shopbop.com is launching a Designer Boutique, featuring Derek Lam, Peter Som, and Thakoon, amongst a bevy of other in-demand labels.

Neimanmarcus.com introduces 7 new lines, including the ever popular Rag & Bone, the London label Boudicca, amongst Derercuny, Bamford, Shiro, Graeme Black and Cesare Fabbri.

Bergdorfgoodman.com adds Cynthia Rowley, Geren Ford, Karta, Autumn Cashmere and What Comes Around Goes Around to its 5F (Fifth Floor) designer roster.

Nordstrom.com presents Proenza Schouler.

Netaporter.com declares James Perse, Gryphon, Tracy Reese, Nanette Lepore, Camilla & Marc, Pringle of Scotland, Superfine and Johnstons the ones to watch & wear for fall 2007.

Style Spotlight: Mary Kate Olsen

The revival of the classic white shirt and skirt, a la Sharon Stone. Yet this time it is given a modern revival Mary Kate style.

Photo: wireimage.com

The Men of St.Tropez: P.Diddy & Roberto Cavalli

Photo: wireimage.com