Pendleton Woolen Mills goes for the hipster class with new Portland Collection

Can Pendleton conquer the hipster class? For many, the brand is associated with career clothes and mom jeans, with Indian blankets and plaid shirts worn by the Beach Boys.

But Pendleton has been working to attract a new generation of contemporary customers for the last few years, collaborating on co-branded clothing with action-sports giants Vans and Hurley, with fashion labels Levi’s and Comme des Garçons, and in 2009, with avant-garde boutique Opening Ceremony.

Now Pendleton Woolen Mills, Oregon’s 102-year-old, dyed-in-the-wool blanket brand, is continuing its move into the boutique fashion business by tapping into the indie cool of Portland, the city that exported Stumptown Coffee Roasters and director Gus van Sant, and inspired the IFC comedy series “Portlandia.”

The Portland Collection will include men’s and women’s clothing, blankets and accessories designed by three local designers who came up through the Portland fashion scene. The collection will be introduced -- right after Labor Day -- in 200 boutique outlets, including select Anthropologie stores, and websites, with prices ranging from about $68 for a necktie to $650 for a coat.

I've written more about the Portland Collection and fashion's heritage moment. There's also a timeline of Pendleton Woolen Mills history, from its first celebrity customer, Apache leader Geronimo, to its recent collaboration with avant-garde boutique Opening Ceremony.

And speaking of Opening Ceremony, the Soho-based boutique founded in 2002 by Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, here is a sampling of the other heritage brands it has been instrumental in reviving.

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-- Booth Moore

Photos: Looks from the Fall 2011 Portland Collection. Credit: Pendleton Woolen Mills.

Your morning fashion and beauty report: Rumors swirl about Blake Lively and 'Sex and the City,' Jana Kramer goes country and Rodarte teams with Opening Ceremony

There's lots of talk that "Gossip Girl's" Blake Lively -- a budding fashion icon -- may be the next Carrie Bradshaw and appear in a "Sex and the City" prequel. Rumors are unconfirmed at this writing. [Vogue UK]

Rodarte, fresh off helping design costumes for "Black Swan" and mounting a show at MOCA, is hooking up in a collaboration with equally cool Opening Ceremony. [WWD] (Subscription required.) 

Country style is coming on strong, as Adam Tschorn has written here. Now "One Tree Hill's" Jana Kramer has signed a deal with the Warner Music Nashville label and debuted her new country single, "I Won't Give Up," on the show. [People]

Fashion journalist Kate Betts, whose new book, "Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style," has just been published, says that wearing accessible labels such as J. Crew makes the first lady seem real. [StyleList]   

Designer Tom Ford -- a renaissance man, for sure -- interviews Julianne Moore about turning 50 in the March issue of InStyle. [StyleList]

Marc by Marc Jacobs celebrates 10 years by reissuing merchandise in a New York pop-up store. [WWD] (Subscription required.) 

After a five-year hiatus, designer Cynthia Steffe is back with a new contemporary line, Cluny. [WWD] (Subscription required.)

For several seasons, women have been living in the "boyfriend" this, and the "boyfriend" that. Now Levi's debuts the "ex-girlfriend" jeans -- super-snug denims for men. [The Cut]

--Susan Denley

Photo: Blake Lively in a scene from "Gossip Girl." Credit: Giovanni Rufino / The CW

For spring, Levi's X Opening Ceremony collaboration shifts into chambray

With the third seasonal capsule collection, the ongoing collaboration between denim maker Levi Strauss & Co. and ultra-hip retailer Opening Ceremony turns a year old, but if you ask us, it's looking younger than ever.

Called Levi's Chambray by Opening Ceremony, the eight-piece spring/summer 2011 collection (four pieces for men, four for women) uses lightweight indigo denim or Japanese chambray in a range of colors including the on-trend shades of orange and yellow.  (Like denim, chambray is a cotton fabric woven with a colored warp thread and a white weft thread. But unlike its coarser-feeling cousin, it has an alternating one-up/one-down weave instead of a two-up/one-down weave.)

For guys, that means pullover hoodies and pants in chambray  (including a unisex Levi's 505 silhouette), for women, pants, shirts and a jumper dress.

The collection, which ranges from $175 to $300, is expected to hit select Levi's boutiques (including the Malibu store locally) and Opening Ceremony stores (including the West Hollywood outpost) as well as both brands' e-commerce sites sometime this week.

The spring/summer 2011 ad campaign was shot by photographer Terry Richardson, and features actor James "P.J." Ransone ("The Wire," "Generation Kill")  on the menswear side, and model Anais Pouliot wearing the women's wares.

-- Adam Tschorn

Photos: Looks from the eight-piece Levi's Chambray by Opening Ceremony spring/summer 2011 capsule collection. Credit: Terry Richardson

Opening Ceremony gets on the grid with 'Tron: Legacy' collaboration

One of the most fun "Tron: Legacy"-inspired apparel collaborations we've seen to date (and the folks at Disney Consumer Products must have worked overtime on leveraging "Legacy" -- we've seen a lot of stuff out there) is the capsule collection with Opening Ceremony that dropped in mid-November.

The women's collection includes bomber jackets with oversized funnel necks, snug scuba shirts, bodice dresses and seamed leggings. The men's side includes biker jackets, patchwork poplin shirts and cargo pants.

The color palette uses shades of bright orange and royal blue that evoke the dominant accent colors of both the 1982 original and upcoming sequel (which hits theaters Dec. 17), as well as black and a vibrant shade of yellow, with a range of fabrics that include neoprene, Melton wool, twill, corduroy, and a form-fitting stretch spandex.

Your morning fashion and beauty report: Kate Middleton, Emma Watson, Vera Wang and Kelly Osbourne

-- Kate Middleton? Ever heard of her? Just a few hours after the royal engagement was announced (Booth Moore's take on the fashion icon in waiting is a good read), Middleton madness launched into full force. “ 'It’s open season on Kate Middleton,' Andrew Neil, the journalist and former Lord Rector of the University of St. Andrews during Middleton’s and Prince William’s time there, told the BBC on Tuesday." [WWD] 

-- Can't wait for the sequel to the 1982 film "Tron"? Well, then, check out the Opening Ceremony/Disney collaboration that is on sale now. [The Cut] And catch up with more Tron paraphernalia, thanks to our very own Adam Tschorn.

-- Can't wait for Urban Outfitters to get a little more preppy? Oddly enough, the wait is almost over. J. Press, purveyors of "pretty sportswear for men," is teaming up with the chain for a collection that goes on sale Dec. 1. [The Moment]

-- Can't wait to get a Burberry trench just like the one Emma Watson was recently wearing upon arrival at JFK, the one with the leather sleeves? Well, you can't. It's a one of a kind. The good news is that Burberry is rumored to be offering a customizing service for e-shoppers in the spring. [People]

-- Can't wait to order your Vera Wang bridesmaids' dresses from her stores? Well, there's been a change of plans. The House of Wang has decided to design bridesmaids gear only for David's Bridal. [The Cut]

-- What else? Well, just a few days ago Melissa Magsaysay put "Gossip Girl" style under the microscope. So guess who's on the cover of Vogue's best dressed issue? Blake Lively. [The Cut]

-- And, finally, in another sign of the changing times: the cover girl for Shape magazine's December issue? Kelly Osbourne. You can check out the latest bikini body on Nov. 22.

-- Alice Short

Photo: Christmas is coming! Workers at Aynsley China have already started to produce commemorative plates, cups and mugs to mark the engagement of Britain's Prince William to Kate Middleton. Credit: Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

 

GQ's latest retail top-10 list includes two from L.A. (and only one from New York City)

GQ magazine has just weighed in on what it considers to be the 10 best independent men's stores in America in 2010, and the list includes two boutiques right here in our backyard.

Taking the No. 1 spot is Opening Ceremony at 451 N. La Cienega in Los Angeles (although GQ places the block-spanning boutique in West Hollywood, according to the Times' Mapping L.A. project, it's just barely inside the boundary of Los Angeles' Beverly Grove neighborhood).

The second local menswear standout, according to GQ, is Confederacy (which clocks in at No. 5) at 4661 Hollywood Blvd. (which is in Los Feliz, in case you were wondering).

GQ's list also includes independent menswear shops in Madison, Wis.; Atlanta; Miami Beach; San Francisco; Seattle; Austin, Texas; and Nashville.

Oh, and one store (Hollander & Lexer) in the borough of Brooklyn in some strange place called New York City.

I think I've heard of it.

-- Adam Tschorn

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Photo: GQ magazine recently named Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles the top independent menswear store in America for 2010. Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times

 

Would you wear this helmet? Mykita and Romain Kremer's surreal sunglasses

 
It's probably safe to say that German eyewear company Mykita and French fashion designer Romain Kremer are reinventing the wheel when it comes to designing sunglasses.

The two brands have paired up to create sunnies fit for that first lady of freakdom, Lady Gaga (who indeed donned them at London Fashion Week in March).

The half-helmet Yuri sunglasses, which come in the above orangey-red and black, are part of Kremer's fall collection, dubbed "The Plastic Eating the Natural," and were named after Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man to fly into outer space.

The spacey "glasses" come with small peepholes instead of lenses, which simply reduce the amount of sun rays that get to the eyes.

The dome-like headpiece is made from a type of polycarbonate, and has been designed to protect the third eye  — figuratively, of course. Or, as Kremer said, it “eats” the wearer’s face (if only it targeted the jowls).

The surreal spex will be available at Opening Ceremony in L.A. as of Tuesday, priced at $910.

--Emili Vesilind

Photo: Yuri sunglasses from Mykita and Romain Kremer. Credit: Mykita.

 

Opening Ceremony welcomes a Repetto shop in shop this summer

You know all those flat, lace-up oxfords that look like your standard jazz shoe worn by celebrities and hipsters alike? Chances are they’re made by French footwear brand turned chic street-shoe line Repetto (which should know a thing or two about the jazz oxford since it started in 1917 as a line of dance shoes.)

Repetto started gaining popularity with its classic “BB” ballet flat and -- now more than ever -- the jazz shoe (which, compared with other fall shoes trends such as high-heeled hiking boots and the continuation of the clog, seem extremely dainty.) In August, they’ll be stocked at Opening Ceremony stores in New York and Los Angeles, showcasing a couple of styles made especially for the store, including an animal-print ballet flat and a Western-style lace-up bootie.

The line fits in with Opening Ceremony’s ode to French fashion brands, which it will carry in its New York and L.A locations for one year.

“Working with the quintessential Parisian shoe brand is the perfect way to kick off our year of celebrating France and French designers at Opening Ceremony,” said Humberto Leon, the co-founder and creative director of Opening Ceremony.

Can’t wait to see what other French brands the store serves up by the end of this summer. Ooh la la.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photo: Repetto for Opening Ceremony shoes. Credit: Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony collabs with Robert Clergerie for a '70s-style platform shoe collection

Trailblazing New York retailer Opening Ceremony (which has a boutique in L.A. on La Cienega Boulevard) has teamed up with veteran footwear designer Robert Clergerie for a collection of playful '70s-style lace-up loafers.

Clergerie, who was the first designer to produce women’s shoes on a men’s last (foot form), started as a  designer for footwear legend Charles Jourdan before establishing himself as one of the most innovative shoemakers in recent history.

The capsule collection, Opening Ceremony par Robert Clergerie, is essentially one zany look (for $460) wrought in a variety of bold prints. The design boasts a rope-covered platform sole and an oxford done up in fabrics featured in Opening Ceremony's spring / summer 2010 collection -- polka-dot linen (in cream and navy), indigo linen and a custom floral watercolor-printed denim.

While they're not for the fashionably timid, the style is a natural match for all those wide-leg and flared jeans edging their way back into style. 

--Emili Vesilind

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Photos: Looks from the new Opening Ceremony par Robert Clergerie. Credit: Opening Ceremony.

Doc Martens celebrates half a century of worker-punk-rebel style [Updated]

Blimey!  Dr. Martens is celebrating its 50th birthday on April 1. Where did time go? Just think.  Your total stiff of a boss might have been sporting an acid green Mohawk, wearing studded Docs and moshing in the ’80s as a punk.  Now, he drives a Jag, can’t figure out the photocopier and enjoys easy-listening on the 405 drive home.  But he just might still wear Docs.

Fans of the brand are a loyal bunch. So Dr. Martens is celebrating its 50th anniversary by thanking them with new, limited-edition boots and shoes that go on sale Thursday, plus free video and music downloads of 10 performances especially commissioned for the occasion.

First, the shoes: 1,460 lucky leather lovers will walk away with a classic pebble-grain finish in a black 1460 boot, and 1,460 will have a shot at the same boot in cherry red.  Gold heel loops and eyelets add to their bespoke feel. There are also a limited number of 1461 shoes as an option for those who like Docs to stop at the ankle. All these limited editions come packaged in a box that’s been specially conceived for the anniversary. and inside you’ll find a signed letter of authenticity.

Right, so after saying all of this and getting you excited, you think I’m going to ruin your day with the price?  You are so wrong.  These babies are actually cheaper than some of the kicks sold year-round at the flagship and online stores.  The 1460s are a deal at $200, and the 1461s are  $180. But if you want them, get in line now.  With so few available and fans around the globe wanting them, they are bound to sell out fast.

They are available on Doc Martens’ website and at selected stores around the world, including Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles.

If you can’t land a pair, don’t be discouraged.  There are other awesome celebratory gifts.  Music and Docs have always been naturally paired.  Collaborating with 10 musicians covering classic tunes and using cutting-edge video directors, the brand has worked hard to include a sound and feel for every taste. Behind-the-scenes clips (as well as the videos and songs) will be available to download for free at Doc Martens' website. A few bands who rocked for Docs:  N.A.S.A, covering Max Romeo's "Chase the Devil";  the Raveonettes covering the Stone Roses' "I Wanna Be Adored"; and Verbal, covering the Runaways' "Cherry Bomb." The covers and bands are a great mesh of genres from the past and present — exactly what the brand has always exemplified. 

When we asked the CEO of Dr. Martens, David Suddens, what he predicted for the next 50 years, he simply stated: “We don't predict the future. But as long as people want to express their individuality and their freedom, they will wear Docs. We'll be celebrating our 100 years, that's for sure.”

-- Julie Neigher

[For the record: An earlier version of this post gave incorrect prices of $130 for the 1460s and $110 for the 1461s.] 

Photo: An assortment of boots at Dr. Martens' factory in England. Credit: Ben Stansall / AFP/Getty Images