Alexander Berardi Spring 2011

At 24, he was the youngest designer to show at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week this season.  His youth, however, did not hamper him in presenting a nice solid collection that also shows the promise of what is to come.Inspired by Jean Seberg in the Goddard film "Breathless", Berardi took the nouvelle vague look and translated it to Hamptons chic, naming his presentation "Breathless is a Tribe Called...

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Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

Did you know that carmine, a typical ingredient in many cosmetics products is made from BEETLES? Me neither…And EW!  In fact, other regular ingredients like lanolin (secreted by the  sebaceous glands of sheep) are also derived from animals.  Don’t even ask about testing…A vision of innovation and a desire to create a vegan, cruelty-free cosmetics brands inspired make-up artist David...

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Buckler Spring 2011

Buckler’s Spring 2011 Collection was inspired by the German modernists’ school, Bauhaus, and the 1924 Olympics.Both the Bauhaus and the 1924 Olympics represent ardent optimism and a belief in the future. Buckler’s collection is influence by the Bauhaus principle ”less is more” using linens and cottons in the color palette old white, navy, silver grey, red and khaki with minimalistic stripe details...

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LAKME FASHION WEEK: Jewelry by Eina Ahluwalia

One typically thinks of ethnic jewelry as traditional and well, ethnic. However, designer Eina Ahluwalia's modern, thoughtful take on ethnic jewelry was stunning as she presented her latest collections in Mumbai this week at Lakme Fashion Week. She smartly presented her bold, statement making pieces in a collection called “Containment".Amphorae, jars, vases made of traditional terracotta and hand...

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Diana Eng's Maker Faire Fashion Show

Hackers, Geeks, Mad Scientists....Not your usual front-row guests at a highly-anticipated fashion show.  The Maker Faire festival held at the New York Hall of Science was home to massive gathering of inventors this weekend.  Robots of all kinds mingled with jet-propelled rides.  Diana Eng, originally of Project Runway fame is now a superstar among the hacker and tech community.  Last...

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MILAN FASHION WEEK: Prada Spring 2011

Prada's Spring/Summer 2011 arrived to a mixed reaction.  The neon prints, pseudo-baroque embroidery, 1980's stripes were combined with fur pieces that looked like a Muppets massacre.  The effect was jarring, but will probably be remembered as brilliant...Enjoy the video...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Temperley London, Alice & Guinevere Sprnig 2011

Does spring 2011 make you want to get medieval on someone's ass? Me neither.  However, Alice Temperley's Guinevere collection might change your mind.  Bondage details and chain mail were used in surprisingly wearable ways.  Mixed with ladylike ruffles and vintage silhouettes, it was hard vs. soft in a very pretty way. &nb...

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London: Burberry Prorsum Spring 2011

The biker chick is back.  You might not associate classic label Burberry Prorsum with motorcycles, yet that is the customer it originally served in the 1900's.  Director Christopher Bailey brought the collection full circle with some bright colors, biker jackets and animal patterns.The traditional trench coat was updated with studs or leather details.  One had bold contrast stripes....

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NY FASHION WEEK: Perry Ellis Spring 2011

Take a swing at the country club mate?  The Spring 2011 men's collection from Perry Ellis projected a leisurely lifestyle.  Pastels, genteel cottons.  Cardigans and cable sweaters dominated the knit offerings.  Casual jackets looked great in tonal light colors.On everyone's seat was a white polo shirt from Perry Ellis.  Just a happy gift?  No, it goes deeper than that....

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Iconic Fashion on Auction

There are style icons of screen, history and music.  Then there are the fashion items themselves that have become icons in their own right.  On Friday, September 24, 2010, Guernsey's Auction house is having an auction for huge collection of memorabilia and documents.  Among the fashion-related lots, Elizabeth Taylor's dress from National Velvet.  Diana Ross's sequin concert...

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Fashion Designer Water

It was inevitable.  The high/low phenomenon of luxury fashion mixing with mass market design has filtered into our beverages.  This year, Pellegrino unveiled its limited edition Missoni bottle.  Karl Lagerfeld (gasp!) collaborated with Coca-Cola for a special soft drink bottle as well.This week, Evian presented this year's designer bottle with Issey Miyake.  This is the fourth...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Duckie Brown Spring 2011

Duckie Brown always promises to be the highlight of men’s offerings at fashion week.  Daniel Silver and Steven Cox are known for tweaks on the standard wardrobe staples.  First, seating for show was unlike the other fashion shows of Mercedes-Benz Fashion week.  Only one side of the tent was sectioned off for press and audience. The other side was reserved for the models to assemble...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Tibi Spring 2011

Tibi led with a ladylike frock coat and continued with simple, pared-down knit and eyelet looks in white, camel and saffron. The aesthetic and mood was one of preppy femininity.Most of the looks were paired with flats or wedges, suggesting that the Tibi woman is independent, beautiful, well-tailored and comfortable.Some of the pieces that got more daring were the dalmation print tops and pants. The...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Rebecca Moses Spring 2011 Fairy Tale

"I Love to tell a story...Fashion is such a colorful tale" -Rebecca MosesThis set the tone for Rebecca Moses return from Europe to show in New York after 20 years.  The Lincoln center box was decked out like a giant walk-in storybook.  Models posed against illustrated backdrops and over-sized library books.  It had a whimsical Alice In Wonderland feel that guests were sucked...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Betsey Johnson Spring 2011

She's the designer many little girls want to grow up to be (I'm wayyy past little girl and I still want to grow up to be Betsey).  Her brand of fun, party, dress-up clothes are for the Barbie-doll in all of us.  Fun and fabulous floral prints decked the summer looks.  Pairs of ironic sailor outfits, skater girls and dramatically poufed tulle skirts bounced down the runway.Accessories...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Pamella Roland Spring 2011

Who doesn't love a vacation to the Greek Isles?  Pamella Roland's spring 2011 collection was inspired by your recent travels to the Mediterranean. The presentation was broken down into looks specific to each island and included postcard images to accompany them in the program.  The fishtail and (fishscale layered chiffon appliques) evoked the ocean views of Santorini.  Crystal embroidery...

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Behind the Scenes: Celebrity Photographer Dimitrios Kambouris

New York City native Dimitrios Kambouris is the go-to photographer hired by top PR agencies and publications to cover premieres and fashion events. One of his career highlights include having his photo of Madonna gracing New York Magazine’s most notable covers of the 2009.After a hectic stint at Mercedes-Benz Fashion week, Ms. Fabulous, Mariana Leung asked the photographer about his craft:MsFABulous:...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Gottex Spring 2011

A sunrise was a beautiful prelude to another stunning swimwear collection for Gottex, Spring 2011. The line featured inovative shapes with rich embellishment and new fabrics to create looks that fuse technology and luxury.The new Spring collection shaped the female body using criss cross lines, high-waist bottoms with belts, bandeau swimsuits and one piecers with interesting cut-outs. Cover ups have...

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NY FASHION WEEK:Zang Toi Spring 2011

Ride 'em Cowboy.  That, and other more obscene catcalls were shouted when Zang Toi sent out a shirtless male cowboy first down the runway.  The designer's Spring 2011 collection was inspired by the James Dean movie "Giant". The show showed tailored shirt, upscale denim, Western prints and prairie floral prints in very full skirts.  The Texan rancher looks were a big departure from...

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NY Fashion Week: L.A.M.B. Spring 2011 by Gwen Stefani

Hey Baby, hey baby hey!  Gwen Stefani's Spring 2011 was a cheerful collection of African prints, breezy island silhouettes and animal patterns. Ruffles were a regular detail, as were asymmetrical shoulders. There were menswear-inspired jackets and pants in contrast to the lighter sun dresses.This was one of the few shows that really felt like a party/night out.  It definitely...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Tse Cashmere with Jason Wu Spring 2011

Luxury cashmere. That's what the Tse brand was always known for.  They owned the sophisticated cashmere knit customer, but were never the go-to collection for high-fashion.  They have attempted to change that by hiring hot designer Jason Wu for a specialized collection.  His collaboration brought in a flattering brush-stroke print and a graphic delicate crochet pattern to the mix for...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Vivienne Tam Spring 2011

Springtime for the East.  Vivienne Tam made her mark bringing a tongue-in-cheek vision of Chinnoiserie and Asian motifs to fashion.  In her book, China Chic, the designer talks about iconic themes and the color of red.  This season however, I did not see any of that for Spring 2011.What I did see was a pretty collection of muted blue and cream.  Lace details and eyelet, some crochet....

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NY FASHION WEEK: Marchesa Spring 2011

Pure fantasy.  Retailers and media love to sing the praises of wearability (make that $aleability), but that isn't very entertaining.  The Marchesa collection was appropriately displayed at the Chelsea Art Museum Wednesday.  The gown were sculpted works of art.  Innovative embroideries with stones, beading and horsehair stroked the imaginations of the most jaded fashion observer.The...

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WWD at 100 Exhibit

Across the street from Lincoln Center, a quiet fashion presentation is taking place.  Womens Wear Daily has installed an exhibit featuring iconic looks from the last 100 years re-interpreted by today's hottest young designers.  Marilyn Monroe's iconic white subway dress, Bruce Springsteen's denim, Audrey Hepburn just to name a few.Gilt.com will auction the one-of-a-kind looks at the end...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Bibhu Mohapatra Spring 2011

All hail ladylike dressing.  I am really happy to see that several designers have brought grace back to New York.  Bibhu Mohapatra's spring collection had a variety of elegant silhouettes that brought you back to classic Hollywood.  Long gowns and short day dresses had fabric or embroidered treatments. The more restrained textural fabric appliqués blurred the line between...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Rebecca Minkoff Spring 2011

Rebecca Minkoff presented a sophisticated, cosmopolitan collection for Spring 2011.  The palette was graphic black, grey, cream.  There were pops of bright red in a few dresses and tan.  Ms. Minkoff became famous first for her handbags of course, but fashion was her first love.  The models had a tough, confident attitude.  The wardrobe here was built for the city woman with...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Nautica Spring 2011

Where is the genteel man?  Nautica's Spring 2011 presentation tried to bring him to you.  The menswear collection showed casual, variations on soft blazers paired with simple knits and woven shirts.  Faded plaids were key as were clean, neutral shorts and pants.  The overall effect was the wardrobe of a relaxed, upscale weekender.  Swimwear had a different direction....

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NY FASHION WEEK: Georges Chakra - Spring 2011

Bring on the parade of red carpet dresses... Georges Chakra has dressed many a celebrity with his entrance-making dresses.  His collection for Spring 2011 was built to do it again.  His interior design roots could be seen from the architectural details down the runway.  There were constructed basket-weave details and pieced, shirred sheaths.  There were dresses with stacked cording....

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NY FASHION WEEK: Prabal Garung Spring 2011

Design talent Prabal Garung's show on Saturday was highly anticipated by every editor in the front row.Prabal started his collection off with classic cream and whites punched with pale coral prints than switching to bright saffron, crimson, turmeric with slashes of aquamarine. Black, figure hugging satin jackets had unexpected slash and cut techniques.Long, floor length silk dresses were trimmed with...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Thuy Spring 2011

The Spring 2011 collection by Thuy Diep came from a warm color palette.  The runway showed taupe, mustards, sunburnt orange and antique ivory.  Detailed separates inserted delicate ruffles in creative ways.  Dresses used piecing and seaming to flattering effect.Shoes mainly stuck to casual sandals, sunglasses adorned many of the models with windblown hair.  The overall effect was...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Cynthia Rowley Spring 2011

This is always one of the shows I look forward to.  Cynthia Rowley has always represented girly, flirty fun clothes with a sense of humor.  This collection did not disappoint.  The major theme for Spring 2011 was circles.  This came in three-dimensional cabochon appliqués in different sizes or the opposite; perforated circular holes.The color palette reminded me of licorice...

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NY FASHION WEEK: Ports 1961 Spring 2011

Jetsetter for wanderer? Fiona Cibani showed first collection for Ports 1961 after taking over for her sister on Friday.  The inspiration for this collection was pulled from the landscapes of North Africa, as imagined by Isabelle Eberhardt in the 19th century.How did this translate into clothing? There were soft layered pieces, asymmetrical shoulders to emulate sand dunes.  Taupe,...

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