Handbag Luxe: Marchesa Launches First Accessories

The MARCHESA brand is already known for mastery of evening wear with exquisite creations that have adorned celebrities and red carpets all over the globe. During New York Fashion Week, Marchesa will launch it’s first accessories collection for Spring 2010. WWD reports:

Marchesa will debut handbags at its spring presentation, which takes place Sept. 16 at The Chelsea Art Museum in New York. The collection of 28 clutches and evening cases are as elaborate as the brand’s dresses, with such details as beading, pleating and corsetry. “We had never done accessories,” said co-founder and designer Georgina Chapman, who founded Marchesa with Keren Craig. “So we thought, ‘Let’s approach it the way we approach a dress.’”

From crystals and embroidery to elegant satin and exotic skins, Marchesa’s new collection is the epitome of timeless beauty. Each bag certainly represents the brand’s unique design aesthetics we’ve seen in its dresses:

 Handbag Luxe: Marchesa Launches First Accessories(Photos by Robert Mitra)

The Marchesa evening bags will retail from $995 to $5000 and are definite investment pieces that can be passed down through generations of fashionistas.

NY Fashion Week Kicks Off With Fashion's Night Out

 NY Fashion Week Kicks Off With Fashion's Night Out

In an enormous effort to reinvigorate fashion retail and consumer confidence during these tough financial times, U.S. and international editions of Vogue have coordinated the first ever global shopping event. Fashion’s Night Out will be a fashionista’s proverbial wet dream in New York City, giving consumers a chance to shop til 11pm (1 am in many downtown stores :) ), enjoy drinks, entertainment, and engage with some of fashion’s elite, designers, and celebrities.

Culminating the end of the day 1 shows and presentations during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, this star-studded line up includes everything from Vogue’s Anna Wintour at Macy’s in Queens Center Mall, Pharrell playing cashier at Billionaire Boys Club & Ice Cream, the sexy Hugh Jackman and designer Jason Wu at Jeffrey NY, to André Leon Talley getting his “Alex Trebek” on as host of the Fashion Rules! game show with Donna Karan and Robert Verdi at Bergdorf Goodman.

Check out super Stylemoms Sarah Jessica Parker, Tory Burch, Diane von Fürstenberg, and Anna Wintour, along with the ultimate fashion cast in the FNO PSA:

Fashion’s Night Out is about more than just helping out the ailing retail community, it’s supporting the community at large. 40% of all sales of the special edition FNO T-shirts will be donated to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at World Trade center. Select retailers will also have limited edition and customized FNO designer carry totes (check your favorite brands’ FNO detail listing) where some of the proceeds go to charity, and many participating retailers will also serve as drop-off locations for the FNO Clothing Drive for NY Aids Charities.

This major shopping event wouldn’t be complete without a chance to win some fantabulous fashion goodies. The SHOP FOR GOOD IN-STORE Sweepstakes has TONS of great prizes. Some of Stylemom’s favorites on the enormous list of prizes include:

- $250 gift certificate at J. Crew

- A Jason Wu “Mommy and Me” package with limited-edition doll

- $500 gift card at Calvin Klein Collection

- A Carolina Herrera wedding gown and veil with personal fitting

- Tickets to the Fall 2010 fashion week shows of Michael Kors,Proenza Schouler, and Narcisco Rodriguez, (held in February 2010)

- And our personal favorite: a chance to attend a Vogue/Patrick Demarchelier fashion shoot. You can relive the scene from The Devil Wears Prada, pick up your phone and say: “I have Patrick!” ;) .

Fill out an entry card at almost any Fashion’s Night Out location. You can enter once per location, so be sure to visit as many locations as possible on September 10. But you don’t have to be in-store to get a chance at one of the many great prizes. Enter to win the Shop For Good ONLINE Sweepstakes for a chance to win a $5,000 shopping spree!!

FNO Sweeps NY Fashion Week Kicks Off With Fashion's Night Out

Get all the details of participating retailers at www.fashionsnightout.com

Valentino The Last Emporer DVD Release

In my mad mad mommy world and crazy schedule, I was unable to get to a theater to check out Valentino The Last Emporer. Unfortunately, Transformers, Up, G.I. Joe, and other action packed and animated movies took precedence with my boys this past spring and summer. But how excited am I as Valentino’s acclaimed documentary is being released on DVD September 8th! Ahhh the dresses and handbags from this legendary designer make me absolutely swoooon!

ValentinoTheLastEmpDVD

Order your copy today!
Buy Valentino: The Last Emperor Valentino The Last Emporer DVD Release

If your a fashion documentary junkie, get your fix and check out these other fab movies about designer legends:

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Paper Dolls On Steroids: Looklet.com

I’ve been a fan and user of Polyvore for quite sometime, and its ability to let you design almost anything from a room, to artwork and of course, fashion sets. The other day I discovered the new kid on the digital block, Looklet.com. Recently launched this past February, Looklet is a virtual styling studio where you can mix and match fashion to create your own personally styled looks.

Looklet_Application

The best part: you actually get to play stylist, choose the wardrobe, and dress a model to create a look that is as haute as an editorial photo from a fashion magazine! What more could a fashionista ask for?! Of course I couldn’t wait to give it a whirl, so here are a couple of looks I created for Stylemom:

 Paper Dolls On Steroids: Looklet.com

 Paper Dolls On Steroids: Looklet.com

 Paper Dolls On Steroids: Looklet.com

Looklet.com is still in beta version and still growing the wardrobe database. I would love to see this site evolve to not just include different models of different ethnicities, but also different models with different body types more representative of real women. It would be an awesome way to style and shop if you could select a model of your body type, choose a model close to your skin tone/complexion, style your entire outfit, then click to purchase. Now that would be the utopia of online shopping!

Could this be what’s on the horizon for Fashion 3.0? Let’s keep our fingers crossed, and in the meantime, get your style on and create some looks at Looklet.com.

SALE ALERT!: Rachel Roy Spring 2009 Sample Sale NYC

Here’s one sample sale not to miss ladies:

Rachel Roy Spring 2009 SAMPLE SALE NYC

Wednesday, August 19th from 10 AM – 7 PM
Thursday, August 20th from 10 AM – 7 PM

1411 Broadway (between 39th & 40th streets) – 37th Floor

All merchandise will be 85% off retail!

RachelRoySampleSale

And for my fashionistas wanting to get a jump on their fall shopping, get the latest haute looks from the new RACHEL Rachel Roy Collection exclusively at Macy’s, and meet Rachel Roy in person at Macy’s in the following cities:

NYC – Chicago – San Francisco – Monterey, CA

Get all the deets/store locations on the Rachel Roy Facebook Page

Check out Rachel Roy at the launch event for the RACHEL Rachel Roy collection from one of our favorite bloganistas, Nichelle Gainer at 55 Secret Street:

Recessionista Chic: DVF Summer Sale 70% Off

This is a sale not to miss! Diane Von Furstenberg is having a FANTABULOUS sale on dvf.com! 70% off, and lots of great steals for under $100!

DVFSummerSale

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Meet Kenneth Cole as he Joins the Rebel Heel Movement

Could it be? Could it really be that designers may actually migrate out of the mile high club for shoes and actually promote comfortable footwear for women? I wouldn’t count on a mass exodus from sky high heels, but the 925 collection from Kenneth Cole, is on the forefront of the “movement to support movement“. The 411 from Kenneth Cole:

Over the last 4 years, we’ve been trying to answer this question: WHY CAN’T A FASHION SHOE FEEL AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS?  We’re pleased to announce that we’ve solved that long-standing problem with our exclusive 925 TECHNOLOGY…..

This means that women will no longer need two different pairs of shoes to address the need for comfortable “wear to commute” styles in addition to “wear at the office” heels. Plus, women can wear them from day into night, without needing that “shoe stash” at work. It’s truly our movement to support movement and, in turn, our effort to save the soles of shoe lovers across the world.

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If you’re looking for an extra stylish morning, go check out the 925 Collection and meet Kenneth Cole in person!

WHERE: Rockefeller Center Store, NYC
WHEN: Friday, August 7th from 9-10 a.m.

Kenneth Cole925 Launch Event

Well I must admit, I’m not totally giving up my platform heel fetish anytime soon, but I will make sure my shoe repertoire has a balance of flats, low and high heel options…as well as keeping a pair flip-flops/flats in my bag when the dogs start barking! ;)

So Fashionistas, support the rebel heel movement – grab some java and have a fashionable morning with Kenneth Cole on Aug. 7th.

KennethColePIC

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STYLEMOM Night Out: Party Like a Rockstar with Alizé

C+C_800x600This month I had the pleasure of attending the Alizé Concrete + Cashmere launch party held at the Cooper Square Hotel Penthouse in downtown NYC. I was excited at my chance to party like a rockstar, and also support one of my favorite style stars on the rise, David McKnight aka DAMStyle (and he is damn stylish ;) ).


Me_and_DAM(STYLEMOM in my favorite Kenneth Cole gladiators, & DAMStyle strike a pose)

David had the role of “den master” ala Tim Gunn style on the show. Here’s the 411:

Concrete + Cashmere is a hip, edgy web–based reality show that will chronicle the lives of 8 young, adventurous, aspiring fashion professionals as they compete for $10,000, the title of Alizé Style Maven, and a Fashion Career Polishing Package. Including mentoring opportunities from some of the brightest luminaries within the fashion industry, courtesy of Alizé.

Notables in the party place to be included guest judges: Angel Chang of Bravo TV’s The Fashion Show, Erin Lucus of MTV’s The City, and the beautiful DJ Rashida. Other party people included Peter Bittenbender, CEO of Decon Media (producers of the show), VH1′s Glam God/Celebrity Stylist, Indashio, and on the turntables was one of hip hop’s finest: DJ DNice.

StylishPartyPeople(one of the stylish group of folks at the party, we had wonderful chats on the deck)

IndashioMJGlove(Indashio rockin’ his own custom made MJ Glove, and to all my Blogher peeps, as you can see by his dancing partner, the pink feather brigade began weeks before I got to Chicago ;) )

AlexanderMcQueenTights(My favorite fashionisto at the party, I stopped this guy and asked, “Hey are those Alexander McQueen tights?” just to confirm, and he, in true rockstar smug fashion says: “Pshh huh, of course they are…”. “Can I take a pic?”, I ask. Then he strikes this pose with his phone probably tweeting or texting something like: “annoying black girl is gawking over my McQueen tights..” lol!!! Whatever, I still found him rockstar chic and he gave me a good laugh…)

Check out the full party pics including a beautiful Manhattan sunset and full moon. It was a fantabulous night.


For some stylish “webutainment”, be sure to check out all the fashion shenanigans in the 12 episode series of Alizé Concrete + Cashmere

Have High Heels Reached Their Limits?

HIGH_HEELSSo for the past month or so, there has been quiet chatter in the fashion world about the current trend of altitude challenging high heels. I personally am a fan of many high heels, but not with EVERY single outfit and anything over 4 inches is out of the question. There needs to be balance, and rocking stilettos everyday is not only impractical but it’s not healthy, whether your a fashionista or a stylemom.

But alas, the fashion king, Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley, has laid down the law on the designers and his royal heeled subjects in his style.com blog last month:

Designers with an obsession for towering torture chambers, often poorly designed for the well-being of the foot, must get a reality check. I, for one, am over the mania for the high, high heel. Too many career women look like a herd of fashion beasts, aping one another in impractical shoes……Can you stop the madness and dream up a new way to define your silhouette without a needle heel that defies not only gravity but elegance?

—André Leon Talley

Women already suffer the pain of their quest to look beautiful with plucking, waxing, hot hair dryers, bras, boostiers, tummy and booty support garments, along with those fantabulous high heels. The thought of it all combined, makes me want to consider living in yoga pants and flip-flops for my remaining days on earth! Nevertheless, I cannot deny that my need for creative expression propels me to be the proverbial “slave to fashion”, so instead of throwing in the towel on footwear chic, here’s some stylish low-heeled and flat options to bring us all back down to earth:

ObamaJimmyCHOOMy wonderful sales person, James, at Nordstrom Cherry Hill, fondly calls these the “Obama Shoes”. These Jimmy Choo ‘Lantern’ d’Orsay Pumps were worn by the First Lady during her date with her hubby POTUS in NYC. During my last visit, James insisted I try these on, and as a flat-footed gal, I must say the arch support in these shoes are awesome! You can definitely walk all night in these shoes and still keep it stylish and sexy. These shoes retail for $585 USD, not exactly recession friendly for some folks budgets, but if you’re looking for an investment item, these shoes are worth it, as the timeless style and comfort will definitely be in fashion for years to come.

Check out some of my other “low altitude” inspirations (click through to Polyvore to shop or for price):

Lower Altitudes
The Hell With Those Heels
Fantabulous Flats2
If you’re a high-heel junkie, get to shoe therapy asap and add other styles to your footwear arsenal so you can kick the habit – your body will thank you for it later ;)

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H&M Hits The Shoe Jackpot with Jimmy Choo

For the love of Choos!!! This fall Jimmy Choo brings the luxe to H&M with a fantabulous line of shoes, bags and accessories!! I’m absolutely ecstatic at the announcement! I mean, how could you not be? Jimmy Choo at H&M! Budget fashionistas get ready!JimmyChooShoesHM(Photo provided by H&M)

Ooooooh – Aaaaaaaah….now after your down gawking at this taste of what’s to come, check out the deets from the H&M press room:

JIMMY CHOO BRINGS GLAMOUR to H&M stores worldwide this fall

06.17.2009 – On November 14, British accessories brand, Jimmy Choo will bring its international glamour, coveted shoes and bags to about 250 H&M stores around the world. To celebrate the collaboration, Jimmy Choo will extend its design vision to create a women’s clothing range for H&M that will complement the accessory capsule. Additionally, this exciting collaboration will include a men’s collection of shoes, bags and accessories.

“We are privileged to be among the fashion greats who have been affiliated with H&M, to be designing a collection that will appeal to fashion-savvy, street-smart women and to be including some great pieces for men, too,” says Tamara Mellon, Founder and President, Jimmy Choo.

TamaraMellon_ofJimmyChoo(Tamara Mellon-Founder/President, Jimmy Choo – Photo provided by H&M)

Did you notice how haute Tamara’s shoes are?! She is my hero ;)

Stay tuned stylemoms and shoe lovers, this one is guaranteed to cause a full-out fashion frenzy this fall!

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