Showroom Seven Wednesday through July 24: Cooper Design Space showroom clears out its current and previous season stock with discounts up to 90% and prices starting at $10 for labels such as Charlotte Ronson, Erickson Beamon and Issa London. Look for the Erickson Beamon turquoise brooch, one of which was worn by First Lady Michelle Obama, for $242 (Henri Bendel retail price was $605). Other finds: a $155 Orla Kiely Fair Isle V-neck cardigan (original price: $356) and $200 tortoise-print hold-all ($425 at Bloomingdale's), a $325 Issa London silk jersey jumpsuit ($425 at Bloomingdale's) and $200 Tony Cohen chiffon ruffle-sleeve dress ($600 at Barneys New York). Credit cards accepted, including American Express.
860 S. Los Angeles St., Mezzanine 3, Los Angeles. (213) 316-1002. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. www.showroomseven.com
Lost & Found ongoing: Modern sunny boutique spread over five Yucca Street storefronts is taking 25% to 40% off spring fashions for men, women and children. Women can peruse $179 Isabel Marant tops (original price $285) and $169 to $279 Local dresses ($230 to $375). Men can find Woolrich shirts and jackets for $89 to $229, $189 B'sbee jackets ($385) and $69 Tailor Vintage madras shorts. Kids' clothing ranges from $19 to $79.
6314-6322 Yucca St., Los Angeles. (323) 856-5872. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Giggle ongoing: Children's clothing shop, specializing in infants, is taking up to 70% off apparel, bedding, bags, stationery and toys, both in store and online. Brands include Tea, Cabana, Egg by Susan Lazar, True Modern, Built, JJ Cole and Fleurville. Summer items on sale include $24.99 girl's tank swimsuits (regularly $32) and $14.99 baby's sun hat ($20), both with a woven-in UV protection factor of more than 50.
517 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena. (626) 744-0233. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. www.giggle.com
I'm just back in the office after some serious downtime in my home state of Vermont, and there's an image I can't get out of my mind: a needlepoint embellished clutch purse on display at the Ethan Allen Homestead in Burlington, Vt.
For anyone not as steeped in the early history of Vermont as those who grew up there, Ethan Allen is the outlaw/patriot/rabble-rouser/drunkard/philosopher credited with leading the Green Mountain Boys to an assault of Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain, the opening skirmish in what would soon become the Revolutionary War, and later leading Vermont to statehood (though "Vermont's godfather" passed away two years before Vermont became the 14th state in 1791).
The aforementioned clutch was sitting on a desk in a room just off the the front entrance of the homestead, set up as Allen himself might have, with maps of the era, a clay pipe and his quill pen. Our tour guide picked up the feminine-looking wallet decorated in shades of pink and red that tied shut with a strap, and explained that during Allen's era, it was commonplace for women to present their sweethearts with such items as a way to be remembered to them during the long stretches they were out fighting, hunting, surveying land and the like. (On the wall of Allen's re-created office I also noticed a plain woven cloth sack that resembled a current day messenger bag. Earlier in the day, re-enactors at Fort Ticonderoga had worn similar pieces slung over their shoulders).
So it's safe to assume that Vermont's founding hero carried what today would amount to a man purse (or "murse"), or at least be kitted out with a somewhat girlie-looking wallet -- which is good to know. If more of the residents of my home state were aware of that fact, perhaps I wouldn't have received the odd stares I did as I traipsed through rural Vermont with my Jack Spade messenger bag slung over my shoulder.
American accessory branch Coach launches its youthful Poppy collection of
vibrant and edgy handbags and shoes with a reception at its South Plaza
location on Tuesday, co-hosted by the Fashion Spot online community. Standout
pieces are the $268 pink patent-leather tote and $368 blue patent-leather large tote with snap pockets. Poppy candy bars and treats will
be handed out, along with Misshapes playlists and Poppy gifts with
purchase. Preen in the Poppy photo booth to be eligible to win one of
three $1,000 shopping sprees.
With so many retail spaces closing, it’s nice to see a new, colorful and all around happy store open on the popular stretch of Robertson between Beverly Boulevardand 3rd Street.
A reliable way to add a little dazzle to classics -- a white shirt,
little black dress, T-shirt and blazer -- is to punch them up with
conversation-piece jewelry. This month, Club Monaco offers some
affordable contenders: six eye-catching necklaces inspired by artist
Alexander Calder.
Calder, an American sculptor who spent part of his childhood in
Pasadena, is credited with inventing the mobile and crafted distinctive
outdoor works as well as jewelry, which was the focus of an exhibition
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York this spring. Calder, who
died in 1976, set found objects -- beach glass, ceramic crockery -- in
wire or alongside undulating metal pieces, to make necklaces and
bracelets he gave to family and friends.
The Club Monaco collection mixes media such as colored Murano glass and
wood set on gold-plated wire, and pieces range in price from $79 to
$139 -- which buys a bib necklace piece that evokes the artist's
mobiles with cabochon-cut Murano and a German glass teardrop.
It's a new spin on the fine art of accessorizing.
401 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills. (310) 858-0204. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. www.clubmonaco.com
"Project Runway" fans can now breathe a sigh of relief. The show’s sixth season has an official air date of Aug. 20 -- that’s just 42 days, 6 hours and 13 minutes (from the time this post went up) away, according to the Countdown to the Premiere Clock on Lifetime's website.
The winter 2010 haute couture shows are over ... so here's a final look -- at John Paul Gaultier, Valentino and Josep Font. Jenny Barchfield of the Associated Press reports:
"Jean Paul Gaultier [pictured at left] looked to vintage Hollywood for a solid collection that was equal parts Ava Gardner and Gaultier — the one-time enfant terrible of French fashion — himself.
"Things were looking up at Valentino. Its new design duo finally found their way out of the archive and forged a sexy new look for the mythic Italian label. Out went the ladylike day coats and tasteful A-line cocktail dresses in jewel-toned duchess silk; in came the second-skin bodice dresses in flesh-colored tulle and black lace; and up, way up, went the hemlines.
"For his fourth couture display, Spanish designer Josep Font continued to shore up his avant-garde credentials with a ravishing collection of think pieces."
Phillip Lim returns to Los Angeles on July 18 to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his West Coast 3.1 flagship and invites shoppers and fans to spend the afternoon with him. [Updated 3 p.m.: An earlier version of this article and its headline incorrectly said that the event would be this Saturday.]
Lim will showcase his fall 3.1 Phillip Lim collection for women, men and kids, as well as accessories. Of note: his new breakaway coats for women. “You can wear them buttoned up by day and then at night you can unbutton the bottom section for an edgier feel,” he advises. “Two-in-one look, perfect for this economy.”
Browsers can also preview and pre-order from the holiday and resort collections. The first 100 buyers will receive a tote bag Lim designed for the event, packed with goodies from Nars Cosmetics and Frederic Fekkai. The new 3.1 shoe collection, exclusive to the West Hollywood store on the West Coast, features jazz flats and studded ankle boots ($410 to $750).
A portion of the proceeds from purchases goes to the Art of Elysium, an organization that encourages working actors, artists and musicians to share their talents with children battling serious medical conditions.
"Made in California" style is revered at Stephanie Addis' new surfside boutique the Golden State, which stocks accessories and vintage furniture. The roster of work from L.A.-based designers includes contemporary fashions from Trina Turk and Stacey Woo ($125 to $350), handbags from Echo Park's Clare Vivier ($65 to $150) and guitar straps from Calleen Cordero ($375). Head down to the beach after picking up a $130 Bennett Malibu tunic and a $160 Salt Swimwear bikini or one-piece.
1740-A Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica. (310) 396-1700. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. thegoldenstatestore.com
Let me see ya shake your tail feather: Izzy Bristow and John Dyer, both 18 and from Colorado, have won the ninth annual Duck Tape brand duct tape Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest. They strutted their peacock-themed prom ensembles -- made from duct tape, copper leafing and baling wire -- past more than 215 other couples to each win a $3,000 scholarship. Lakewood High School also gets to boast some peacock pride, as it gets $3,000 for hosting the prom for which these outfits were made.
After entries were submitted, a panel of judges chose 10 finalists based on factors such as workmanship, originality, use of colors, accessories and, naturally, the quantity of duct tape used. More than 46,000 votes were cast during a two-week online voting period.
Brother and sister Zane and Maris Blanchard of Bixby, Okla., came in second; each received a $2,000 scholarship and $2,000 for their high school, Bixby High School. In third place, Houston's Jordan Fauser and Matthew Caughman each won a $1,000 scholarship and $1,000 for their high school, Jersey Village High School.
To view all the entries in the 2009 Duck Tape brand duct tape Stuck at Prom Contest, visit www.stuckatprom.com.
Elie Saab gowns are a red carpet staple here in L.A. Marion Cotillard recently wore a purple and blue mosaic print dress by the designer to the L.A. Film Festival premiere of “Public Enemies,” and Beyoncé and Evan Rachel Wood both wore Elie Saab Couture during the last Oscar ceremony and were two of the best dressed stars at the event.
Saab just showed his Fall/Winter 2009-2010 Couture collection today in Paris and it’s hard to tell whether any of the 46 all-white looks that floated down the runway will translate on to the red carpet.
Every look the designer created was done in an ethereal white, with gathering and appliqués that made models look as if they were floating in a cumulus cloud. It’s a far cry from the gold bedazzled dress Beyoncé wore or the elegant black column Evan Rachel Wood vamped it up in. When awards season rolls back around-will Elie’s loyal celebrity fans being seeing all white?
Photos: Looks from the Elie Saab Fall/Winter 2009/2010 Couture Collection. Credits: Left, Maya Vidon/ EPA; top right, Remy de la Mauviniere/Associated Press; bottom right, Remy de la Mauviniere/Associated Press.
Starting this Friday, the art exhibitions at the Taylor De Cordoba gallery in Los Angeles will share the floor with five local designers who are selling their merchandise in the space until Aug. 8.
Some of the haute couture shows in Paris have generated star wattage; all have undoubtedly inspired applause. But yesterday's Christian Lacroix show triggered tears.
Jenny Barchfield of the Associated Press reports that there were a few weepy moments at what might be Lacroix's last haute couture show -- "at least for as long as it takes the legendary French designer to sort out his finances." Lacroix started insolvency proceedings in May and "looks likely to close its doors at the end of this month."
It somehow seems appropriate, then, that his winter 2010 collection was done in shades of black and navy. Barchfield writes that the "collection had a funeral feeling, and the crowd of well-heeled women wiping their eyes after the display only added to the dark mood."
Lacroix told his audience that he hopes to relaunch the haute couture line. In the meantime, he sent models down the runway with "supple draping, black lace, tone-on-tone embroidery and luscious beadwork." The bridal gown "which traditionally closes haute couture displays," Barchfield wrote, "was a Catholic icon ... the sumptuous dress underscored Lacroix's rare genius."
Moods of Norway Today: Oslo plants a
flag in L.A. as the Norwegian fashion brand celebrates the official
grand opening of its Robertson boutique, the first in the U.S., and
previews its fall collection. Designers Simen Staalnacke, Peder
Børresen, Stefan Dahlkvist will be on hand to meet shoppers, with
cocktails and waffles plus a live performance by pianist Aksel Kolstad.
Snow also will be trucked-in for a cross-country skiing demo. The
store showcases kitsch such as an actual-size golden tractor (the
brand's logo), a white picket fence and a jam-jar chandelier. The
colorful and youthful line retails between $25 and $850 and runs the
gamut from dresses to three-piece suits to T-shirts and denim for men
and women. RSVP to MoodsOfNorway@thinkpublicrelations.com.
113 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 271-7172. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. www.moodsofnorway.com
Chip & Pepper Friday: The L.A.-based denim gurus (and
identical twins) Chip and Pepper Foster launch Mill Iron, an affordable
denim collection exclusively for the Buckle retail chain. Mill Iron
men's jeans retail for $98 to $111 (Chip & Pepper denim regularly
retails for $180 and up); a women's Mill Iron collection is set to
debut later this year. The initial jeans offerings include the Sunraider (relaxed leg button-fly) and the Rally (five-pocket
straight leg).
Buckle, 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park. (818) 719-8651. 10:30
a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. www.buckle.com
40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing Saturday: Omega and
Tourbillon honor Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts with an exhibit
commemorating the 40th anniversary of the July 20, 1969, moon landing
(Omega was the first and only watch worn on the moon). Scott Carpenter,
Thomas P. Stafford and Gene Cernan, who walked on the moon, will appear
at the South Coast Plaza Jewel Court for a public forum. A Lunar Rover
and Apollo 10 space suit along with a Sojourner Mars Rover will be on
exhibit through July 12.
The celebrities who attended Michael Jackson’s memorial service dressed appropriately dark and simple for the somber occasion. Brooke Shields wore a simple black shift dress, Kobe Bryant, Usher and Magic Johnson donned sharp black suits. Janet Jackson looked amazing in classic pearls, a 1940s-inspired body-hugging dress and black beret slightly tilted on her head.
The one guest who seemed to wear what looked more like a Michael Jackson costume was Corey Feldman, who came in a military-style jacket, black fedora and dark sunglasses. Maybe Feldman’s been dressing like this for years and this is normal for him? Who knows? We haven’t seen too much of him since his reality show “The Two Coreys” stopped airing on the A&E network.
Photo: Janet Jackson returns to her seat after greeting Usher during the memorial service for the late pop star Michael Jackson in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Credit: Mario Anzuoni, Pool / Associated Press
Like his signature moves, Michael Jackson’s style was all about the subtle but quirky details. Fans who flocked to television monitors, churches or Staples Center to watch the world pay tribute to the pop icon today found it easy to interpret Jackson’s style and spirit simply by wearing black fedoras with silver rings on the brim, single gloves and dark, over-sized sunglasses.
With the '80s back this fall, these accessories hardly look costumey or out of place. Jackson had such an influential look during that decade that it will be hard to decipher next season whether people are dressing with inspiration from the runways or from Jackson. Perhaps they’re not so different.
Photo: Outside the gates of Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos, Calif., fans Monique Ransome, left, Anna Hanson and Jennifer Hanson watch the Michael Jackson memorial event in L.A. on a television network's monitor.Credit: Michael A. Mariant / Associated Press
The Michael Jackson fans who gathered around Staples Center and the 11,000 lucky enough to score a ticket and attend the service inside are expressing their love for the late pop singer in a variety of styles from subtle dark loafers and short pants covering a sliver of white trouser socks to large “Michael” belt buckles and oversized reflective aviator sunglasses.
Jenny Barchfield of the Associated Press reports that Giorgio Armani's couture offerings "opened on familiar but strong territory with a series of pantsuits, his signature look, embellished with rhinestone-hemmed cuffs and buttons that looked like minature crystal balls." Barchfield continues:
Then the Italian designer brought out the big guns or, rather, the shiny guns, with bustier dresses covered in scintillating silver or champagne-colored crystals, sequins and beaded fringe. Models wore beaded headpieces with dangling fringe that perched at a jaunty angle on their identical dark bobbed wigs.
Not surprisingly, the show attracted its share of stars, including Cate Blanchett, who described the show as "blinding" and "beautiful," and Megan Fox, who has made a few recent headlines with her outpouring of love for her latest film "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and its director, Michael Bay.
Blanchett wore a pagoda-shouldered dress by Armani; Fox wore a gray asymmetrical cocktail dress by the designer.
Forget the shiny top coat, matte nails have become the biggest beauty trend this summer. A company called Knock Out has basic colors packaged in an enviable Art Deco bottle, Essie launched their neon collection a few months ago — all matte and this month OPI starts selling its matte collection, which is a line of six of the most popular shades sans shine.
Hong Kong Fashion Week kicked off today at the Hong Kong Convention Centre. As California Apparel News' Deborah Belgum points out, buyers and fashion critics seem to be in for a treat that includesthe spectacular art like this avant-garde wonder by Hong Kong's Michael Lau and more polished, stylish attire that might aid you in an L.A. job interview (Click here for more photos from the fashion show).
Although it might be easy for fashion naysayers to laugh off this dress (and perhaps some of the more arty pieces from other shows), this over-the-top outfit does (possibly inadvertently) showcase two trends Times fashion critics Adam Tschorn and Booth Moore noticed at recent runway shows: pale colors and lots of surface effects. And if we've learned anything from Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada," it's that it's only a matter of time before a runway fashion craze trickles down to your closet.
Booth Moore is editor of the Image section and the Times' chief fashion critic. She covers the runway shows in New York, Milan, Paris and Los Angeles.
Adam Tschorn has been covering menswear since 2004 and wearing it much, much longer than that. He holds degrees in philosophy and journalism, which perfectly prepares him to watch fashion shows and ask: "Why?"
Melissa Magsaysay is the Fashion Market editor for Image. She covers trends in fashion and accessories and produces and styles the section's photo shoots.
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