Traveling to Italy

Im going abroad... and will have many reports about whats going on in Italy and London fashion-wise. I'll see whats hot.

Store Review: Decades

Decades
8214 Melrose Ave,
Los Angeles 90046

Tag line: Split-level vintage house makes the dream of owning designer clothing a reality.

On a lovely Friday afternoon, a girlfriend and I strolled into Decades, a supposed gold-mine of celebrity hand me downs and designer goods galore. We got buzzed in and my previous excitement was quicky replaced with disappointment as I saw how little merchandise there was and how high the prices were. It was interesting to see old seasons masterpieces hanging on the racks again yet the prices seemed over the top high for what it was: used designer clothing. Even though I was disappointed with the clothing selection, I knew my fire would light up when I saw the shoes, yet again they were very sparse, probably selling only 15 pairs! At least now I can say I've been to Decades, and I'm sure that popping in once in a while I will find something I fancy. Id recommend going to Maxfield Bleu on Robertson if you want designer duds at remarkable prices. Think Prada Sport, Marni, Gucci, and Lanvin merchandise from its cousin, Maxfield on Melrose.

Hi-Low concept

I am a believer in finding good replicas of a certain trend, but lately I've been getting annoyed at how fast the cheap stores can put out a copy of the real designer item. It seems like they cancel each other out and magically a trend vanishes way before it even blossomed. Case in point: Short Shorts with rolled up hems; before the season even began there were the most beautiful See by Chloe khaki shorts and then the that week Forever 21 had the SAME style short! Same with those patent cork platforms Christian Louboutin put out that were absolutely edible, the next thing you know Steve Madden had the same pair. It is a positive and negative because those who love fashion can afford it now, but what is to separate the true fashionistas from the average mall shopper? Just a thought.

Feeling Frenchi

Ahhh I love classic 1950s & 1960s Parisan dressing. Im so happy its coming back. Heres some examples of then and now.

Looks of the Season: Spring '06

Heres some of my favorite looks from the season


Trend #1: Short Shorts

Runway: Zac Posen



Deal: Vince


$245




Trend #2: Tiny Cocktail Bags

Runway: Chanel



Deal: Luella Bartley for Target



Only $30!



Trend #3: Platforms

Runway: Chloe



Deal: Nine West


$85



Trend #4: 60's Day Dress

Runway: Miu Miu



Deal: Marc Jacobs


$298



Trend #5: Cigarette Pants


Runway: Costume National



Deal: Tavernity So Jeans



These Jeans are AMAZING!!! Check out the back:



$182

Fashion Rumor

New designer for GO international: Target



So the new buzz going around is that the new designer to take over the Go: International program for Target is Tara Jarmon, from Paris.





I think she is just so so. To me this looks like Banana Republic or something equally plain. She does not have the edge that Luella has, nor the reputation, so I don't think people will be as excited for the debut of this collection. Bummer, I thought the rumor about Proenza Schuller doing a line would be true.

Karl Lagerfeld

Karl has come out with his own contemporary line. Price range is $100-$500.



Everything is very basic, using black and white, similar to his Chanel, except way more casual. Some pieces look like Guess circa '99, others pieces are amazing.



(Like this dress $475.00)

So where can you get this line? Try Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Ave.

H&M

For those of you on the west coast with savvy taste on a budget, the most fabulous of all bargain stores is coming to LA. Yes, they have announced several locations to all open by the end of this year! One store is going to be placed at the Beverly Center, the other in Hollywood.

GO International

Luella Bartley for Less!

Can it get any better? Ive got my credit card ready, and heading into target at 7:30AM. My heart is set on the pink tie strapless dress and the skull button down top.

Spring 06

Inspirations



Chloe


Photo: Marcio Madeira

Phoebe Philo on Chloe
"I love all the couture fabrics. You know, boucles and gazars. Its wonderful to work with them. They are really lush and expensive and rich. But they are not that versatile, you have to kind of respect them. You can't do things that you can do with other fabrics, so it was an interesting process."


Fendi


Photo: Don Ashby

Karl Lagerfeld on Fendi
"Sometimes it's leather, sometimes it's pique, sometimes it's plastic, but it's all done with laser. You know, you couldn't do that before."



Gucci


Photo: Marcio Madeira


Frida Giannini on Gucci
"The first step was to bring in a sense of joy, because I really feel that optimism is part of our lives, and of my personality, my vision. I felt we needed to play a little bit with prints. Some are from the archives, some were totally new, with a few very solid, very strong colors."


Luella Bartley


Photo: Greg Kessler


Luella Bartley on her collection:
"This collection has all the English traditional elements that I love those very aristo (riding, tennis, sailing) rich English sports, mixed with the London underground music scene. There is a contrast of uptown, uptight conservativeness, with this downtown attitude, taking inspiration from the Velvet Underground with the striped T-shirts and all that iconic New York history."

I must say her impression of modern London fashion was dead on with originality, funk, yet kept it girly.


Michael Kors


Photo: Greg Kessler


Michael Kors on his line:
"For this show I kept thinking, how do you look at the romantic and take the sweetness out of it? Make it viable for the world today? We used the west as sort of the starting point, and the whole idea of really beautiful textures, a lot of lace, a lot of embroideries, mixed with beautiful Michael tailoring."

Micheal, you will always be my favorite American Designer! Always effortless, beautiful, tailored, and wearable.


Proenza Schouler


Photo: Greg Kessler

Proenza Schouler's Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough
Hernandez:
"We went to this big museum in Los Angeles after our last show and saw all these amazing Arts and Crafts pieces. The Arts and Crafts movement was basically a reaction against industrialization, and we find it so relevant to today, as a reaction to all this mass, mass everything. From afar it looks like nothing, but the closer you get, the more detail and things you see. Then you look on the inside of some of these garments, and it's insane whatÂ’s inside of them."
McCollough: "We have been saying it's kind of a minimal baroque."

As always, unique lines, attention to detail, and soft glowing glamour.

Marni




For spring, the Marni pieces we expect were there: the short, wide raglan-sleeve fifties jackets, the loosely fitted summer dresses, the duster coats pulled in with belts all made with that familiar air of happy accidents at the home sewing machine. -Sarah Mower.


Marc by Marc Jacobs


hmmm can we say bad flashback from the late '80s. Uni-suits, scrunchi socks, leggings with stirups, sweatshirts over leggings, even arm warmers! Yikes, Marc, please please go back to the sweet 70s. At least then most of your customers will never remember wearing those scary pieces!