NY Fashion Week: LAMB Spring 2012 by Gwen Stefani

 Are YOU just a girl?  If so, you had plenty of fun, casual options for Spring 2012.  The Gwen Stefani helmed collection showed quietly in the small 'box' studio of Lincoln Center without the designer.  In previous seasons, her shows were big, celebrity-filled paparazzi-bait.

The clothing did not show a distinct theme, and you didn't really see the pop star's distinct personality in this collection as you would from the previous seasons.  What you did see were bright colors is solid separates or variations on stripes and zig zags of primary colors.  Other separates included neutrals in 1980's styling.

I was much more impressed with the handbag selection at this show.  Several bags had a sunburst-like seaming and braided handle.  Another series had cut strips of leather as a variation to fringe which was clever.

The models were styled with simple informal ponytails, dark eyeliner and neutral lips.  I thought they would at least style them with Stefani's signature red lipstick.  Again, this show just didn't feel like it had Ms. Gwen's stamp on it, so it ended up as one of the blur of collections this season.

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NY FASHION WEEK: Rebecca Minkoff Spring 2012

She's the girl next door, just much more stylish than the rest of your neighbors.  Rebecca Minkoff sent a light, breezy spring collection down the runway that any girl should want.  There were lots of easy, floral prints and bright Spring colors.  Dresses and skirts were flirty. Relaxed pants were paired with semi-tailored blouses or fitted, shrunken leather jackets.

Handbags included updated versions of her MAB (Morning After Bag) complete with designer branded condoms and vodka for guests at their seats. (How tongue in cheek is that?)  Warm leathers, studs, a little edgier than the clothes to balance the soft femininity of the looks.

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Designer Handbag Sample Sales! Botkier, Be & D, Rebecca Minkoff and L.A.M.B....

Disappointed in Black Friday or Cyber Monday?  Redeem your shopping cred with seriously stylish handbags:

In NYC:

Be Inthavong and Steve Dumain have produced luxury bags with European craftmanship since 2004.  They  have been a favorite of every 'It' girl of the past few years (Katy Perry, Eva Longoria, etc.)  Ready to grab some starlet style?  Get thee to the Be & D sample sale right now...

When: Tuesday 11/30 - Friday 12/3, 9 AM - 7 PM, 9 AM - 5 PM
Where: 35 West 36th Street (between 5th and 6th ave)  10th floor

The Botkier sample sale is reputed to draw long lines in cold weather, so plan your shopping carefully.  If you make it in, you will be rewarded with sexy, edgy bags to carry you through winter.  If you're a great friend (of mine) you can shop here for holiday gifts too!

When: Friday, 12/3 - Sunday, 12/5, 11 AM - 8 PM, 12PM - 7 PM, 12 PM - 6 PM
Where: 421 West Broadway (between Broome Street and Prince Street)

The L.A.M.B. sample sale and Harajuku Lovers by Gwen Stefani embody the pop star's fun style.  Kawaii, Ska, Fashionista or all of the above? I'm sure you have girlfriends who can't wait to unwrap these this season...

When: December 8 - 10, 8 AM - 8 PM, 10 AM - 8 PM, 8 AM - 6 PM
Where: 144 Fifth Avenue (between 19th and 20th street) 2nd Floor

In Los Angeles and San Francisco:

Rebecca Minkoff has been travelling around to different cities for trunk shows, offering fabulous sales in NY, online now on the West Coast.  You could say she's the handbag version of Santa (ok, maybe not).  Either way, grab your favorite 'Mac' or famous Morning After Bag.

When in LA: Friday, 12/3 - Sunday 12/5
Where in LA: 8211 West 3rd Street

When in SF: Saturday, 12/4
Where in SF: 111 Minna Street (by the Montgomery Bart Station)

ONLINE:

Not on either coast?

Check out Kate Spade and Matt & Nat on Wesdnesday 12/1 on GILT.com

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Design A Handbag, Go to Fashion Week!

Are you the next hot handbag designer?  Are you the one to design the next "It Bag" coveted by every celebrity?  If so, you can win your trip to NY Fashion Week, courtesy of Polyvore and Rebecca Minkoff.

You have until November 29th to submit your design, then judge and be judged on Rebecca Minkoff's Facebook Fan Page.  It's easy...All the details, elements, trims, leathers that you could want are the Polyvore database.  You just need to style, pick and choose to make the ultimate clutch purse.

More info, rules and goodies here.

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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 a busy lifestyle.  Something the designer, and all of her fans relate to.

Handbags had many of the classic or signature Rebecca Minkoff silhouettes.  Many of them had a sophisticated contrast trim  this season.  Animal print was seen in several styles as well.

Spotted in the front row Mingling: Gossip Girl's Michelle Trachtenberg 

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Kara Ross Holiday and Spring 2011

When you think you can't improve upon something like a simple clutch, where do you go from there?  Designer Kara Ross always manages to surprise me with new treatments of leathers.  For this season, her team showed me some highly dimensional python purses.  The scales had been dyed in an innovative two-tone technique, making it look like it glowed.  A similar technique had been employed with a foil metallic, looking like a platinum serpent had sacrificed itself for a fabulous bag.

This chic bag had a soft leather texture, but the animal was unrecognizable...Turns out it was made of a sueded cork (eco-friendly!) with jet metallic accents.  The price point was accessible and offered a great option for those who did not with to buy skin.

Of course, Kara Ross' roots are in jewelry design.  The stone accents are a signature touch on the bags and belts.  She brings her unique touch with leather back to her jewelry in several interesting collections.

Kara took inspiration from a vintage Navajo piece she found and translated the feather motif into an abstract modern pattern.  She embedded snake skin into the metal as a luxe twist on enamel.

Another new technique for jewelry, was this collection of leather, resin and glitter.  The collection had an icy, organic look.  The sparkles gave the pieces the look of 'jewels', the resin had a vintage quality.

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Tinsley Mortimer's Socialite Style - Samantha Thavasa Handbags Fall 2010

Late July, Tinsley Mortimer hosted a cocktail party to preview the Fall 2010 launch of her handbag collection for Samantha Thavasa. The reigning socialite queen has been collaborating with the Japanese label for several seasons now and the relationship seems to be going strong.

This fall, the collection took two distinct directions at the Madison Avenue boutique. There was a classic-themed collection of quilted leather with chain detail. This one looked like it was aimed towards the conservative society contingent.

The second direction was a lot more interesting. It was a rock n’ roll inspired group that incorporated tie-dyed fabrics and lacy laser-cut patterns. It took variations of corset-lacing details and applied them in several unusual ways. The corset styling was and ode to Madonna. The handbag silhouettes themselves were named after some of the best hair metal bands of the 1980’s. You know you want to carry a purse named “Poison”, “Def Leopard” and “Whitesnake”.

Photos courtesy of Samantha Thavasa and FWD

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Canada Day - Spotlight on Canadian Designers

What do you know about style up North? You might recognize some of these brands, but never knew about their Canuck heritage...

A regular at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Ports 1961 was founded in Canada. It is currently designed by Vancouver native Tia Cibani. The collection is a mix of fashion forward, but wearable pieces. Like much of Canada, the collection is infused with the rich influences of other cultures.

Montreal-based Simon Chang is the go-to designer for chic executives. His company also provides a stylish alternative to corporate wear. Simon Chang as a brand has already been licensed into eyeglasses, fragrances and denim. However, his legacy may be his charitable foundation that benefits medical research, education and cultural institutions to improve the lives of Canadians.

For accessories, designers Jeanne Lottie and label Matt & Nat bring a sense of fun and style to their handbags. Jeanne Lottie is a Toronto-based designer without formal training. She sold her affordable handbags at a popular Yorkville area boutique. Matt & Nat’s creative director Inder Bedi set out produce chic, vegan-friendly bags for men and women. The eco-aware pieces have been made from fabrics like felt made from upcycled water bottles.

Photos: Marcio Madeira/FirstView.com, Abir Shah

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4th Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards -Part One

The Independent Handbag Designer Awards were held last Wednesday at Parsons, the New School of Design.

Emily Blumenthal explained the fledgling award show had progressed ‘from the minors to the majors’. The fashion industry elite included supporter from Kate Spade, Swarovski, mark by Avon, Timberland, Carlos Falchi, Singer and Instyle Magazine. Besides the awards, guests enjoyed surprise guests (Tim Gunn!), laughter and inspiring speeches.

Parson’s Dean of School of Fashion, Simon Collins opened the program by reminding us that fashion is perceived as a “ bitchy, cut throat”. In reality, the evening showed a caring community.

“So many designers are anxious to get noticed,” said Emily. This competition provides an opportunity to showcase their talent to an international audience. Categories included Best Student Made Handbag, Most Socially Responsible Handbag, Best Use of CRYSTALLIZED™ -Swarovski Elements, Best Handmade Handbag Best Green Handbag and Best Handbag in Overall Style & Design and Most Innovative Handbag Inspired by mark.

Independent Handbag Awards - Press Preview

The judging panel consisted of editors, style makers, buyers and professors for each category. selected winners. In addition to international press coverage, awards ranged from apprenticeships with designer Carlos Falchi to selling a limited edition run of their design from CRYSTALLIZED Swarovski Elements.

Where do these awards take you? Rachel Esswood, last year’s winner for Best Student Made Handbag was recently hired by Devi Kroell following her apprenticeship. Another winner from 2009, Lorna Nixon had three bags featured in the film Sex and the City 2.

For more on the awards and individual winners, stay tuned! We will be profiling our favorites in the next few days.

Photos by Mariana L.

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Cole Haan Fall 2010 Press Preview

The folks over at Cole Haan invited the Purse Page to preview the best stuff coming for Fall 2010. The collection was split into a "Country" and "City" theme, and were presented in their showrooms next to their gorgeous workspace and library.

The Country theme had pieces of equestrian-inspired bags. Their interpretation of saddle hardware was the antiqued horse hook. A few other bags included braided leather trim, inspired by horse whips. A variation on their signature woven texture was the etched leather bags. For men, there were big, roomy leather duffles that were already popular (and ready to be stolen) by the women.

The staff favorite was the small grouping of haircalf handbags. The sophisticated shapes were given more dimension with the dark colors of the haircalf. The horse hook hardware gave it an extra rugged appeal.

For the City theme, there were collections of crocodile embossed leather bags. This was Cole Haan's way of providing a more PC, but still stylish way to acknowledge the exotic skin trend. This also offers customers a more affordable price point as well.

The group I am most looking forward to? That would be the reversible metallic/leather totes. These were lightweight, roomy totes that had a festival metallic treatment on the exterior that was perfect for a night out. If you needed something more sedate for work, you could flip the bag inside out for a solid, matte leather finish.

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Rebecca Minkoff's Spring Kick-off at Henri Bendel's

On this cool afternoon in Midtown NYC, Rebecca Minkoff is making a personal appearance at my favorite department store. Celebrating the debut of her Spring handbags, shoppers are sipping champagne and nibbling on rainbow colored cupcakes as they take in the new purses. The handbags span the colors of the rainbow and feature a huge range of treatments. There are handmade tie-dyed bags with Italian lambskin. There are sweet and edgy bags in Easter Egg colors with hard-zippered edges along girly ruffles. Rebecca Minkoff’s personal favorite is the deep lapis blue bag with a collection of different shaped studs. Very rock and roll…

You can enter to win a Rebecca Minkoff handbag every hour and score a sweet gift bag (like I did!) with each purchase. Peeking into my bag, I spot a “Bada Boum” tote, some beauty goodies and a best friends 2-part key chain to share.

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Designer Insider: At the Studio of Kooba's Abbe Held

I was invited to visit the design studio and showroom of Kooba and designer Abbe Held to take a peek at this season’s hottest handbags:

The design room walls were draped in colors upon textures of leather swatches. Lauren, a member of the design team was applying antiqued studs by hand to a leather piece at her desk. Photos were not allowed as the concepts being worked on in this room were in the very early stages for next season, and many of the staff had not even been allowed in the design studio yet! While some of the staff apologized for the messy state of the room, it actually had a gloriously creative, busy quality. (It was also much neater than my design studio).


I was led into the showroom upstairs. The collections of bags were artfully arranged in a well-lit room to show off their textures at their best angle. Abbe Held, the design director of Kooba entered the showroom looking refreshed, if a bit camera-shy.

The fall collection showed studded styles in rich, deep hues of forest green and eggplant. Abbe’s personal favorite of this delivery was the Alex Bag in Eggplant. For holiday, she liked the bags in brighter colors of red.

My personal favorite out of this group were the Jagger pieces. Well placed zippers allowed the bags to open up into different silhouettes in unexpected ways, and adding practical additional volume to boot.

The Kooba startup legend describes the relationship Abbe and her mother Bonnie. The two of them founded the company together. She warmly describes her mother as muse, partner and “best friend”. What most people don’t know is that her eight year old daughter is also starting to inject her creative input, but she is Mom’s biggest fan.

What is ahead for spring 2010? The Kooba team is working with neutrals, ruffle details and fabric treatments for when the weather thaws out.

Thanks for inviting Ms. FABulous to visit Abbe!

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NY Fashion Week: Tory Burch Spring 2010

Tory Burch, whose flats bearing the signature double ‘T’ logo made her brand one of the most coveted (comfortable) shoes of recent years, presented her first showing at NY Fashion Week Wednesday. Opting for a more intimate ‘party’ setting, she helmed the front of the stage, greeting guests. Models stood and posed together along the length of the runway. Her previous Bryant Park showing was as part of the Barbie 50th anniversary show.

The clothing was a mix of preppy and tribal prints. Some ladylike rock n’ roll was also evident. The style was comfortable, chic and upscale casual (think party next door in the Hamptons). I always think this is a great way to present a collection, especially in a smaller venue. Rather than a 20 second runway strut, each guest has a chance to get up close to the clothing to appreciate each detail. Models can respond, turn for better views and offer the amateur photographer the opportunity to take great photos. The designer has a chance to discuss and explain her inspiration, the work she put into the collection and answer questions.

Some of the handbags were leopard, to carry on the tribal theme. Details included chain handles, tie-dyed patterns, braided trim and studs. A couple of larger clutches were represented. Pouch bags with extra long skinny chain straps and oversized business bags were also on display. The big gold double ‘T’ logo was more discreet in this collection, allowing the pieces to speak for themselves.

Front Row (mingling): Toni Braxton, Anna Wintour, Tory Burch

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NY Fashion Week: Mulberry Spring 2010

Tuesday evening, “It” bag brand, Mulberry presented its Spring/Summer 2010 collection at the Soho House. Guests walked into a fantasy of candy apples, carousel horses and walls imprinted with the season’s signature “Crazy Horse” print.

What followed were very pretty, feminine takes on a schoolgirl theme, with a decidedly grown up edge. Classic leather jackets and flirty skirts were interpreted in candy floss colors. Oversized bows and darker floral appliques were a tongue in cheek styling detail on traditional ladylike motifs. The vibe was fun, like a rock n’ roll tomboy who wanted to dress up for a day.

The handbags were the stars in this show of course. The famous Mulberry Bayswater bag was re-invented in sugary colors, as well as punk-inspired neon pink haircalf cheetah. A ‘bluberry’ ostrich Hayden shoulder bag, ‘cookie’ leather shoes and ‘gingerbread’ fringed nappa leather Daria satchel were standouts in the sweet-themed collection. The signature mulberry tree logo plate in antiqued brass of ‘glammed up’ for this season in a shiny, oversized nameplate on some purses as well.

Front Row: Stylish fans of the Mulberry and the mascot dog

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Designer Insider: 5 Questions for Tinsley Mortimer

Tinsley Mortimer is one of Manhattan’s hardest working socialites. The NYC ‘It’ girl was sought by Japanese handbag label, Samantha Thavasa to bring her sophisticated style to the collection. In designing the celeb-loved line, Tinsley set out to create bags that would reflect her style and truly wear. She grew up in Richmond, VA before moving to New York City to study at Columbia University. She is a descendant of both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, making her the ultimate ‘All-American’ girl. Gossip Girl fans got to watch the style maker this season, playing herself at Hampton’s fete. I caught the designer between engagements for a quick interview:

Mariana Leung: What pieces from your collection are you most excited about this season?


Tinsley Mortimer: I love the Travis bag!! It is a small clutch that is covered in animal print with gold trim. When I was designing it, I thought of the little gold minaudiere my mom used to carry in the 80’s. The Travis bag has a little 80’s looking chain too so you can wear it over your shoulder, which I think looks really chic. I also love the Lily clutch. It is really soft and can hold everything. I did it in gold, gun metal, and a fun bright orange.

ML: Many people consider you a modern style icon. Who in your life inspires you as a fashion role model or acts as a muse for your collection?


T.M.: A lot of people inspire me; from young actresses like Sienna Miller, to friends like Lauren Santo Domingo, and Eleanor Ylivisaker, to Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, to my mom. I pick up on details that I like from lots of people. Mostly, I concentrate on designing pieces that I myself would like to have in my own closet. I design bags that I would love to carry and make sense for me and my lifestyle. If I stick to that, then I am always happy with the outcome.


M.L.: In addition to designing a high-profile handbag line and multi-tasking through other business ventures, you are recognized for supporting several charities. Which one of your causes do you feel closest to?


T.M.: There are so many amazing charities in New York. I love and work closely with New Yorkers for Children and Operation Smile. I recently created a lip gloss called Tinsley Pink with Dior and a portion of the proceeds were donated to Operation Smile.


M.L.: The Purse Page has a lot of Gossip Girl fans. Did you find that your cameo this season as art imitating life? Do you have any ‘behind-the-scenes’ anecdotes about the cast?


T.M.: It was such an honor to have been asked to play myself on GG!! I was beyond flattered!! Everyone was so kind and amazing!! I had hair and makeup in the trailer with Blake Lively who was just adorable and so fun. Her little precious dog was in there too (I think her name is Penny). I had the best time and was just thrilled that they thought of me!!


M.L.: What are your plans and what will you dress up as for Halloween?

T.M.: Halloween is my favorite Holiday!! I love to dress up!! This year I am going as Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ. I have a really cute, short blue and white gingham dress. I am going to braid my hair with 2 big bows, and of course I’ll wear one of my favorite pairs of Mary Janes!!

M.L.: Thank you Tinsley! Enjoy the holiday!

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