StyleWhipped

We're ready for a Frocktail...

It's official...Stylewhipped's coverage of New York Fashion Week for Spring/Summer '10 is complete! We hope you've enjoyed our commentary and are looking forward to some of these amazing pieces hitting the stores for Spring! Now I don't know about you, but we could definitely use a cocktail to celebrate...and thanks to Matt Bernson Shoes' collaboration with the brand, we recently became fans of (ri)1 Whisky, which was the main ingredient used in a delicious (and season appropriate) cocktail called the "Frocktail," served at the Tracy Reese flagship store during the fabulously fun Fashion's Night Out. It's always exciting to be ahead of the trend, and that includes everything from fashion to food to culture to cocktails.

So print out this tasty recipe and serve the (ri)1 Whisky "Frocktail" next time you host an event. I guarantee all your guests will enjoy it...and you'll be the cocktail trendsetter of the night...!

(ri)1 Whiskey Frocktail
1 each fresh lemon and orange wedge
2 each seasonal fruits and berries
2 parts (ri)1
1 part Cointreau® syrup

In a mixing tin, add orange wedge, lemon wedge, seasonal fruits and berries and hand press with a muddler. Add sprits and syrup, fill tin with ice, and shake vigorously for 6 seconds. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass over crushed ice. Garnish with orange wedge and seasonal fruit.

~ Alison
 

After Fashion Week, A Designer Profile: Stella Zotis

The very last show I saw during New York Fashion Week, on the very last day, was from Stella Zotis. A well-known Project Runway alum, Stella is someone I have been lucky to call a friend for the past year, and for multiple reasons, a designer I am inspired by every time I see her work. Her latest show, presented at the BoConcept store, was a rousing success, heralding in the latest leather trend that has been cropping up in every glossy magazine but that Stella has been creating for years. Showing alongside three other designers, Stella easily stole the show (those other designers are lucky we all had to stick around to see Stella's collection come down the runway last!), and I have to give credit as well to the production's incredible make-up artist, Nathan Johnson - if only I could create eyes like that...sigh...

Stella came out of Project Runway known for her use of leather and her expertise in grommeting, destroying, and hammering metal embellishments. But she is so much more than that as a designer.

After a lengthy career that included stints as a sought-after make-up artist, Stella knows who she is as a woman and as a fashion artist. I had the pleasure of spending over two hours at her Manhattan live/work space just this morning (her giant Rottweiler and tiny black cat joined us as well), and this little Tribeca glam-girl walked out rocking an amazing white leather studded vest (another one, with the red, white & blue of our flag, was stuffed in my big purse to be worn as soon as humanly possible!). Six people commented on it on my way home. Today, Stella has made me into a rock star. And with her Americana rock couture sensibility, the pieces she creates need to be on red carpets, in Bergdorf Goodman, in editorials of high-fashion publications, and on everyone from L.A. musicians to socialites on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

While you could easily go full-out rocker with grommeted, laced-up-the-side leather pants paired with a coordinating leather bra-top and vest, you can also take just that vest and incorporate it into

the most fashion-forward wardrobe out there...all it needs is a white silk tank top, the latest denim, and the highest, sexiest stilettos. Going through her archives (which included the runway looks from this recent show as well as pieces that have yet to be seen by the public...), Stella explained her old-school, no-factory-involved process that is, to be honest...leather couture. Every garment is made for its owner...fit and structure are impeccable, the tailoring and details are things that need to be seen in person to be properly appreciated, and the custom finishes on each piece are like Stella's babies. Beyond the expected leather pants and corsets, Stella gives us mermaid dresses in painted denim with leather trim, leather and canvas pencil skirts that could find their way into a boardroom or the latest underground club, and men's pieces that satisfy every guy's inner dream to be David Bowie for a day.

I tried on jacket after gorgeous jacket...white leather with fringe,

black leather with tonal whipstiching, hand-drawn and sewn appliques on weathered vests. And unexpected, super-feminine shapes and details popped up here and there...a tiny puffed shoulder, a nipped-in waist with a full peplum, a dramatic opera collar above a portrait neckline. Stella herself looks like rock royalty, with her all-leather ensemble at ten in the morning, her long black hair and her giant eyes rimmed in serious make-up...but this is also a woman who can articulate the immense work that goes into each piece she produces. When a customer comes to her for a one-of-a-kind garment, there are hours of fittings, designing, and sewing heavy, difficult materials that goes into each one.

Lots and lots of designers come out of Project Runway. Very few have as well-defined an aesthetic and point-of-view as Stella Zotis. And that is what, right now, we need in fashion. Already planning her next show for Fall/Winter '10, Stella is that designer who will continue to push the envelope...in the most beautiful, runway-to-real-life way. So keep an eye out for so much more from her...

~ Alison

Fashion Week Review: G-Star Raw

WHAT A SHOW!  G-Star Raw definitely puts on a well choreographed and interesting show each season.  With 3 runways, zigzagged paths (for the no less than 4 models at a time) to walk and large white cylinders that moved to reveal each model, I was sure I would see a collision, but everything went flawlessly. 

The show had me singing the blues afterward, but definitely not in a bad way.  The color blue showed up in almost every piece in various shades, textures and patterns.  G-Star Raw is known for its experimentation with denim and they absolutely "bring it" every season, but I was pleasantly surprised to see many other lighter materials used. With a futuristic/distorted ladies-who-lunch/'80's-inspired feel, this collection presented a little something for everyone, but still stayed true to G-Star's roots.

The men's and women's jackets and blazers were well fitted and tailored exquisitely, and for the second season in a row, the signature exaggerated drop-crotch played a large theme in the collection.  Pairing casual and dressy pieces made the line versatile and fun. The color pallate included blues, whites, blue and white print, and a few splashes of green.  My favorite men's look of the line was a royal blue suit jacket with matching shirt and "solace" (reminiscent of formal jogging) pants, and the Neo dress for women, an on-trend one-shouldered dress with a blue & white abtract print of pirhanna that, at first glance, resembled innocent paint swirls.

-- Guest Writer John David Robbins for Stylewhipped.com

 

 

 

 

 

Fashion Week Review: Toni Francesc

Toni Francesc's show opened with a 5-minute long musical introduction, a continuous sound of different forms of falling water. Seeing as this collection of his was inspired by the "poetry of water," the intro was fitting. It also gave us a glimpse of the Spanish designer's view of fashion as serious art. And just as does fashion, Toni feels that "water provides drama, sadness and meditation." His collection reflects those ideals, in a beautiful (if serious) way.

A color palette of khaki, olive, sand, white, black, grey, navy blue, mauve, and one black & white print are worked into highly complex pieces in various silks and cottons. Silhouettes emphasized the hip, the shoulders & upper chest, and are fluid like their water influences. The collection was heavy on dresses (both cocktail- and gown-length), but also included pants, shorts, tops, jackets and vests. At first, I found the collection to be a bit on the heavy/serious side for Spring, but when reviewing individual pieces, their lightness and beauty really came to life for me.

My favorite pieces were without a doubt those cocktail dresses. A strapless olive green dress had gorgeous gathered draping up one side of the skirt, a dark blue short dress had a beatifully fitted bodice and skirt, the latter of which was covered in a tangle of draped mauve silk. The single print in the collection translated as a fan within the fabric and added to the complex/simple dichotomy of a long gown with an asymmetrical neckline. Even the styling in the show was clean and simple and worked with the inspiration behind the garments...sleek heels, no jewelry to speak of, and lucite "clutches" that looked like blocks of frozen water...

~ Alison

 

 

 

 

Fashion Week Review: Custo Barcelona

Often while attending New York Fashion Week, I make little notes about the ambiance of the shows...the music, the feeling in the tent, the vibe of the audience. And oftentimes, perhaps because some designers are so intent on being seen as serious artists, the somberness of some shows overwhelms the talent of the designers. This was definitely not the case at Custo Barcelona! From the crush of people trying to even make it into the tent, to the sing-song sound of the many languages being spoken, to the pure party that Custo put on, this was the exciting, fun production missing from so many other shows. This was Carnivale, the sexiest costume party, and the most over-the-top event you could imagine...all rolled into one collection with a seemingly endless array of color.

Strutting down the runway to an in-the-club beat came models dressed in beaded mini-dresses in turquoise and purple, flowing lavender silk caftans with stunning silver beading, feathered coats in sunshine yellow, teeny-tiny bikinis in magenta, black and gold. The men's collection was equally outrageous, with shiny, metallic skinny suits, multi-print jackets with mismatched knee-lenght shorts, and just as much color and sparkle as the women. These are not garments whose future you wonder about at Bergdorf's. Instead, this is the type of collection that you watch with wonderment as your senses are overloaded with color, texture, vibrancy, and well, pure fun...

~ Alison

Fashion Week Review: Tibi

Before seeing the Tibi show, I had the pleasure of meeting Tibi Creative Director (and Founder and head designer...) Amy Smilovic backstage. There is a fabulous video coming soon of the fantastic interview with Amy by Stylewhipped's guest host Ronnie Kroell, and as we chatted with her just an hour and a half before the show, she was gracious, relaxed, and ready to put on what will become known as perhaps one of her best collections to date.

With Tibi's signature oversized and abstract flowers gracing many of the pieces, this collection also had so many beautiful, simple, and sleek bias-cut slip dresses, which we haven't seen from Tibi in quite some time. Spaghetti straps were everywhere, perfectly accentuating the nymph-like silhouettes. As balance, there were looks with one- or strong-shouldered shapes, as well as three-dimensional clusters of rosettes. Tibi also presented stripes, chevron patterns, black & white graphic prints, and all-over floral prints, along with pieces that were completely covered in sequins (in both solid colors and following the stripes in the fabric). The fluid silks and chiffons were done in an inspired color palette that mixed the muted with the bold, and the romantic with the graphic...white, black, royal blue, bright yellow, hot pink, red, lavander, pink, kelly green, purple and blush.

Some of the most glorious pieces (and really, they were exactly that...glorious...they invoked romanticism, a carefree life, a beautiful garden, and strong but serene women...) came in the form of dresses. There was also an incredible outfit of the skinniest pants paired with a black blouse embellishsed with a huge flower on its one shoulder, as well as an all-over sequined skirt in candy colors with a simple, ethereal white spaghetti strap tank. But it was the dresses that made me hold my breath...a floor-length, flowing, blush colored multi-layered slip with a cluster of rosettes that closed the show on a note of perfection, a sassy one-shouldered mini dress in swirling stripes of sequins, and those singular bursts of abstract flowers that appeared on a long dress in white, a short dress in red, and a long-sleeved mini dress in yellow. I would wear each one, three days in a row...

~ Alison

 

Fashion Week Review: Milly by Michelle Smith

I have always been a big supporter of the fashion-y but wearable, uptown-meets-downtown clothes that we get from Milly by Michelle Smith. And this season, I think she gave us one of her best collections yet. Sometimes chastised for being a little overly colorful or a bit too costume-y, this collection for Spring/Summer '10 was reigned in just enough, had just enough color, and also debuted Michelle Smith's line of statement-making (and affordable!) costume jewelry. According to Michelle Smith, this "punk-prep" collection is led by black for the first time, accentuated by putty and ecru with pops of shocking pink, flame and malachite. Among the many separates (shorts, pants, tops, dresses, skirts, jackets), swingy coats and one-shouldered dresses are important accent marks, as are shortened hemlines and gold-stud embellishments.

Additional colors that popped up in the collection include a gorgeous kaleidoscope print, olive, violet, amber, and mahogany. Along with the black, ecru, putty, malachite, shocking pink and flame, this cohesive, sophisticated color palette was brought to life in cotton, sateen, silk, jacquard, silk gauze, raw silk barkcloth, metallic jacquard, chiffon, silk twill, nappa lambskin, silk georgette, silk duppioni, and lycra in the few refined-but-sexy swimsuits that came down the runway.

Some of the most exciting looks were a kaleidoscope print silk twill mini dress with acres of volume and swing down the back, a black silk gauze hand-beaded blouse paired with an ecru raw silk barkcloth piped mini skirt, a spot-on flame silk chiffon zig zag print dress, a black silk gauze hand-beaded trapeze dress, a still-on-trend black raw silk barkcloth strapless jumpsuit, and a fabulously off-hand outfit combining an amber cotton jacquard jacket, a black silk chiffon zig zag print tank, and shocking pink magnolia metallic jacquard mini skirt. I would wear just about the entire collection myself, and maybe even more importantly, can't wait to introduce my clients to this season of Milly.

~ Alison

 

Fashion Week Review: Baby Phat

Baby Phat’s Spring 2010 show was exactly what we’ve learned to love and expect from the incomparable Kimora Lee Simmons—it was sexy, it was bold, it was fun! Baby Phat is for the city girl who likes to feel casual without sacrificing glamour, and this latest collection did not disappoint!

Named “Moroccan Kiss”, this collection was part groovy chick and part glamour queen. Colors abound in shades of coral, turquoise, pinks, and violets. Moroccan style meets ‘70’s influences in jewel toned pieces, bright tie-dye and acid washes, vibrantly colored and metallic embroidery, bohemian prints, and chunky jewelry. The looks were kept from looking too theme-y with their modern-day, sexy, slinky silhouettes. But despite the beautiful colors, and despite the outstanding accessories and ornamentation, my absolute favorite thing on the runway were the sequined leggings. Fabulous!

The whole show was just a fantastic production from beginning to end. This coverage would not be complete without giving props to the diversity of the runway. With beautiful models of different shapes, sizes and color, I applaud Kimora Lee Simmons and her spunky audaciousness in presenting something so counter expectation in a wonderful and matter of fact way. It’s also worth mentioning that show was streamed live in Times Square on a huge screen. And oh, by the way, hands-down best soundtrack of the week. Go big or go home was the name of the game, and boy was I glad to take part!

- Cindy

Oh, and I think there were some men's Phat Farm pants in the mix as well, but for some reason I can’t recall any details:

Fashion Week Review: Miguel Antoinne

Miguel Antoinne was inspired by the picturesque beauty and calm of thunder and lightning for the Spring 2010 collection.  Incorporating sharp clean lines with bold prints and texture in beautiful harmony makes this collection a winner.  Shown in a studio with wall to wall windows on a stormy day in NYC only added to the illusion and inspiration that Antoinne used.

"Thunder and lightening acted as an allegory throughout the development process influencing the design aesthetic.  Thunder and lightning are often described as majestic and generally evokes stillness, but it can also be stimulating, erogenous and even uncertain at times.  This epitomizes the way in which Miguel pictures style and is influenced by fashion himself."

Color palette for the collection represents the quiet before the storm.  Gradient hues of blues, grays and sharp blacks are paired in contrast to whites and bold prints.  Fabrics such as coated linen are cool enough to beat the summer heat but functional enough to withstand a sudden downpour.

The perfect tailoring of each suit stood out the most to me.  Antoinne has the fit down to a science and I would wear 90% of the pieces shown.  Favorites include all of the suits, tanks, tees, and swimsuits that walked to runway!  I will definitely be rocking a Miguel Antoinne swimsuit for summer 2010!

-- Guest Writer John David Robbins for StyleWhipped.com

Fashion Week Review: Nanette Lepore

Nanette Lepore has always been known for ladylike collections...feminine shapes and silhouettes, soft colors, and subtle prints. This season was no different, except for the (needed) addition of bright colors like deep orange, bright pink, neon yellow, and popping prints and stripes. The shapes, silhouettes and overall feel to the line-up were still pure Nanette, and purely delightful. There were playful, lighthearted dresses (even the long gowns) mixed in with casual-but-polished knits that would work equally well for an important lunch date as they would for a day seaside. Capping everything off (and keeping all the flowy-ness grounded) was the covered wedge shoes on the models. Echoing the colors and prints used in the garments, these were the perfect modern counterpart to a timeless collection. With all this, we are given the part-Parisian nymph, part-American woman that we all want to be.

Colors were described with the same joie-de-vivre as their presentation...shades like twilight, watercolor, twig, azure, white, leaf, firefly, sunshine, and raindrop. There were sweater knits, silks, cottons, beading, and painterly prints. Separates like short, reigned-in balloon shorts were surprisingly flattering, and fluid silk tops mirrored their full-length counterparts. Modern details like exposed zippers showed up nestled into floral, super-feminine dresses, and layered knits were beautifully constructed so that there was zero chance of any look appearing bulky or over-worked. Two pieces stood out for their adorable use of unexpected color pairings...a short skirt in olive and acid yellow with gorgeous pleating, and a longer wrap dress with hot orange wrapping around bright pink. This collection is fun, happy, girly and everything I want for Spring. The show closed with my favorite piece, a "raindrop" print dress with fluid ruffles and an interesting hemline...which is exactly how every show should end.

~ Alison