Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Site Facelift

Please see Shannonmclaren.com for our new location of THE FASHION SITE

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Vogue's Ad pool drying up?



If we needed just one more sign of our flailing economy, we can just take a look at the ad sales for the biggest issue of the year, Vogue September.

"Vogue's ad pages for its September issue number 50 fewer than last year's, which numbered 725." Source

Guess Who?





Comme des Garcons' black cotton velvet, polyester satin and nylon tulle dress, at Comme des Garcons, New York.

Christy Turlington in the new W magazine.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

DVF for us Wonder Women

This coming October, Ms. Furstenberg will be unveiling a new collection inspired by Wonder Woman.



This is not the first time fashion and superhero's have co-existed; last spring, the annual Met Gala was theme was based on superhero characters.

Of the collaboration, von Furstenberg said: "Wonder Woman is the ultimate symbol of female strength, independence and freedom. When Warner Bros. approached me to collaborate, I immediately thought it was a fun idea that would reinforce my belief in women and commitment to their empowerment. The collection will inspire every woman to be the Wonder Woman she wants to be."

Source: Vogue.com

Shop Style comes to UK!



Now you can find all of your favourite UK brands housed under one website. Happy days.

Look of the day: Blake Lively



At the premiere of the Dark Knight in NYC

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Kate Moss on the cover of August Vogue (American Edition)



Looking like a lady... perhaps Bruce Oldfield will take back his comments about the modern woman.

Only MK could get away with this...



The Olsen's are by far the only two (real) people I think can get away with knee-high gladiator sandals.

Have you tried the trend?

Linda Evangelista for Prada????

Why? I get Claudia and Christy returning for a second run, but Ms. Evangelista does nothing for me. Prada is usually so forward with model choices, but this is an odd fit for me. The beautiful, structured lace creations need a soft angelic (young) face to give the collection a modern and youthful edge. What do you think, does Linda fit for the new campaign? Sorry Sasha.



Cheap Shop: Littlewoods direct

A mate of mine was wearing one of the most fantastic blouses I have seen in a long time, and after shamelessly asking where it was from, she leaned in and whispered: "littlewoods". I did a search online, and it turns out there are plenty of cheap chic buys on the direct website. Below are my favourites.

Definitions waterfall top
£25.00



Definitions boyfriend jacket
£45.00




Definitions check coat
£75.00




Nicholas Millington asymmetric shoulder dress
£69.00




South one shoulder frill top
£22.00




Love Label check dress
£39.00





Reminder: While these disposable fashion finds are fantastic, to avoid looking like a victim of the high street, pair with smart tailoring, well made bags, and designer shoes.

Im a tights-aholic

Yes, I admit it. If there was one thing I could not live without, it would be my Tabio 110 denier tights. I even wear tights in August. Sometimes a girl needs a little variety, so if you are like me, you were overjoyed when Lagerfeld put his touch on tights for Fall 2008. I am so enamored with the two tone Chanel hosiery, see for yourself below:

A tights story:









Amazing!

Available in stores September 1st, ranging from £120-140.00

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Paris must have rubbed off on me...

Lately, I have been so enamoured with classic French dressing.

Yesterday I took my favourite fashion buddy shopping for the usual trip around the shops in London. We decided to check out just how good the sales are (however we ended up drooling over all of the new merchandise for Fall 2008 Part 1)

Our mate at Balenciaga took out the brand new hand painted one of a kind dress made of latex. The price tag is hefty- 31,000 GBP. That's $62,000! No wonder the store only received one, which no doubt will be snapped up straight away by some Russianista in seven inch stilettos. Perhaps.

Here is a photo of the dress:



The photos do not do this collection justice; I even remember looking at the reviews and photos when they debuted on style.com and shrugging to a less impressive follow-up to Fall 2007 (hard to beat, admittedly!)

The sales were better than we thought- considering at this time of the summer, most merchandise has been picked over by the many 'vultures' wanting a bargain. I ended up with a pair of Balenciaga heels (will fit in for Fall 2008) and Josef caved in and bought a pair of Martin Margiela 'jazz shoes' he had been lusting after for quite some time now.







I agree taking pictures of our purchases may have been a bit silly, but we were excited about our day, and walked away quite inspired


.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Labels slashed 80%

Okay, I'm sure by now you are seeing a pattern: we are all looking for labels on the cheap due to this annoying credit crunch. Gas prices are high, and the cost of living has gone up so high, Ive even had to give up my favourite daily splurge latte in the hopes of keeping my closet thriving. Well, who knew all I would have to do is travel on the tube to Islington, where the longest running sample sale has just moved, the designer warehouse sale.



Stock is said to be replenished daily, and the promise is to deliver designer goods for about 80% less than the retail price. To be honest, I love going to places like this because unlike the usual stroll around department stores, you never know what little gems you will find- and the likelihood of someone else wearing the same thing at a cocktail party is slim to none.

Ive already devoted my Thursday to scoping out the new bigger and better warehouse.

More info can be found at the Designer Warehouse website

Ps, have any of you already been?

This Sunday, you must go to the fashion fair!

Anita's Vintage Fashion Fair is one of those events that turn weekends into power searching for the perfect £5 dress. Of course, if you love rummaging through racks and racks of clothing, you may find yourself with treasures by the names of Chanel, YSL, or Biba. The fair promises to range from eighteenth century costume to 70s maxi dresses (perfect summer '08 staple btw)



See you there.

Anita's Vintage Fashion Fair
Battersea Arts Centre
Grand Hall
Lavender Hill
SW11
Sunday 9:30a-4:30pm

If any of you go, please email me, Id love to know what you've found!

Monday, June 09, 2008

The best thing about the credit crunch

Ms. Liz Jones over at the Daily Mail is reporting that summer sales in London will be huge this year. With the first week marking at least 40% off retail price, and because of the poor sales this fiscal year, there will be more merchandise for the offering! And its not just the leftovers; Alia gowns, Chloe clutches, Dries van Noten elegant printed dresses, Missoni jewelry, and those covetable Lanvin heels. Sales expected to begin the last week of June. Ill post the exact date when its known. Save those paychecks, its going to be a very discounted summer!

Go Buy Now: Alexander Wang for Uniqlo

Our favourite rapidly growing high street shop, Uniqlo, has made this girl very happy with the line by Alexander Wang now in stores. Staying true to his sexy-LA tough girl style aesthetic, the collection includes silky lightweight dresses and jumpsuits, all in shades of gray, white, and black. Go to Uniqlo.com for more info, and location details.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Review: best of the CFDA's


Victoria Beckham and Naomi Cambell


Nicole Richie


Ashley Olsen


In honor of YSL's recent passing, women attending the CFDA's on Monday night decided to wear clothing inspired by, or designed by Mr. Laurent.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Look of the day: Ashley Olsen


NYC, on her way to a pre-CFDA party.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

SATC dress fiasco

Sarah Jessica Parker was promised that the dress she wore (Nina Ricci) for the New York premiere of Sex and the City had never been worn before...! She was lied to! And speaking out too.

The dress has been worn previously by Lauren Santo Domingo with Oliver as her date to the Met Gala earlier this year:



She is not taking it lying down, either. She says to the NY times:

“In the big picture, this is not important, but there is a relationship between the entertainment industry and fashion. We’ve watched sales dwindle and we’ve watched people be less inclined to spend money on clothes.”

To Parker, these are reasons for companies to take particular care with their relationships. “Look, my affection for the dress hasn’t changed,” she said, “but what they did was so short-sighted. It’s just unethical and disappointing that they would allow the dress to be worn again.”

Parker says she remarked to Theyskens during the fitting that she was surprised the dress hadn’t been worn before. He assured her it hadn’t.

“He didn’t say, ‘Well, actually I just escorted Lauren down the red carpet at the Met.’ ” said Parker, adding, “I just wish it had been handled differently and they had been straight about it.”


Normally, a dress worn twice is not such a big deal for red carpets, but as SATC is all about the fashion, we would have expected a one of a kind for Ms. Parker.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Attn: LA shoppers, theres a new Chanel in town

Just when we thought the trendy Robertson Blvd. was getting tired, a major player joins the street. The retail store is said to be an abbreviated version of the main store, only offering younger styles, nail polish and makeup. Sounds like a more fun version!



The LA times describes it as:

"The concept behind the mini store -- designed by Peter Marino, who is also responsible for Chanel's stunning Rodeo Drive revamp -- is to present a tightly edited selection of the season's pieces, including ready-to-wear, fine jewelry, accessories and cosmetics, similar to what a shrewd fashion editor might handpick for a photo shoot, said Barbara Cirkva, president of Chanel's fashion division. Merchandisers may focus on a certain color scheme or a trendy silhouette or handbag within the larger collections."



Image via Popsuger

Last night was the opening party, with guests including Rachel Bilson, Angie Harmon, Michelle Trachtenberg, Kathy Hilton, Maria Menounos, Malin Akerman, Leighton Meester, Angie Harmon, Nicollette Sheridan, Arianna Huffington, January Jones, Kirsty Hume.

Store open now. Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Love at first sight....

Today, Josef and I went for a stroll along Mount st. in Mayfair, popping into Balenciaga and Christian Louboutin. Just for fun I decided to try on a pair of ultra Spring 2008 strappy zipped heels.



435 GBP, arent they lovely!

5 inches sounds a bit daunting for a heel, but the platform makes it easy to take long and comfortable strides! With me at 5'8, these shoes put me in at 6'1. Its a good thing I like tall men!

Buy at neimanmarcus.com

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Rei Kawakubo for H&M



PARIS — Bridging the gulf between conceptual fashion and the mass market, H&M has tapped Rei Kawakubo to collaborate on a collection for holiday retailing. Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garcons. Source WWD

Bias Queen Label: Relaunched



The inventor of the uber flattering bias cut, Madeline Vionnet, has made one of the most memorable names in fashion. Sadly, after her passing, the label passed as well, leaving women of curves longing for something drape-worthy. And here comes the good news- "the legendary fashion house Madeleine Vionnet, which is seeking a revival of its venerable name, French designer Marc Audibet had been named Artistic Advisor after Sophia Kokosalaki resigned from her post as Creative Director to concentrate on her label, which is now under the Diesel umbrella." Source: Fashion Windows

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Viktor + Rolf @ the Barbican, London

The dynamic Dutch duo have been in business since 1992, after meeting at design school. Together they are most famous for their couture line, as well as collaborating on a collection for H&M.



The exhibition will showcase signature pieces from their haute couture collections including Atomic Bomb (1998-99), Russian Doll (1999-2000) and Launch (1996)

The House of Viktor & Rolf runs from June 18 to September 21. For further information, call 0845 1216825 or visit www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery. (April 2 2008, AM)

Ready to make an Investment?

No, Im not talking about convincing yourself to buy the new season's bag because it will be worth more in the years to come. I am talking about an actual stock investment, as Prada has just gone public!

With profits rising 63 per cent to £1 billion in 2007 and a stronger-than-ever spring/summer 2008 collection in the offing, Prada is certainly worth watching on both the shop and trading floors.

Prada promises to go public before the year's end.

Fringe Update

Do you all remember this angry post I made about the use of fringe a while back? Well, lets just say I am sort of coming around. The look is actually fresh and new when used in spring colours and sewn onto jersey materials. The idea is to look more fashion forward than a Halloween flapper costume. I even have this 3.1 Philip Lim dress on my shopping list:


$395, Neiman Marcus

Lets just say, fringe, when done in moderation, is not bad for your health. ;)

Designer to Love: Alexander Wang

We first saw Mr. Wang's (why does that sound funny?!) beautifully tailored and girly cashmere sweaters and dresses Fall 2006, and have increasingly developed a fondness for his rough yet soft style aesthetic. His style embodies New York cool with Los Angeles flair. Case in point: his Spring 2008 is by far his best collection to date. Here are a few standouts:


Prices range from $200-1000
Buy now at Opening Ceremony (LA, NYC), Barneys New York, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Shannon's Spring picks

The Maxi Dress

Don't get me wrong, I love the rush of first Spring's rays, and am the type to dust off my summer's nearly there skirts + dresses. We saw the maxi return briefly last spring, and in 2008, the 70s look is in full swing. If you live in a big city, you'll love being able to throw on this Grecian shape and go, with no worry of wind gusts exposing your bits.
A few favourites, courtesy of shopbop.com


ADAM, One Shoulder Hand Gathered Dress
$495



Diane von Furstenberg, $445

Pleating:



Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent
Pleated Hem Tank Dress
$264.00

Ruffles


Karen Zambos Vintage Couture
Ruffle Dress
$350


Karen Zambos Vintage Couture
Layered Ruffle Dress
$350


The 50's Floral


Diane von Furstenberg

New Platforms


Christian Louboutin cork sandal $815


Brian Atwood Harlow Suede Platforms
$685

Helmut Lang Cropped Matte Leather Jacket



The Scent

Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur



$65