BOCA: Shooting Fashion and CFDA in Florida

Boca Raton, Florida may not be the fashion capital you are expecting, but the Boca Museum of Art has three stellar fashion exhibitions running simultaneously.   The first, is Draw and Shoot: Fashion Illustrations and Photographs which shows a collection of images from artists and photographers like Rudolf Bauer, Carl Erickson, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, and John Rawlings.  The show examines the evolving aesthetics of style and beauty in how different artists depict fashion through the decades. Jody Culkin: Refashioned is a show dedicated to the quirky artist and her reinterpretation...

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Costume Design - 2013 Oscar Nominations

Period films and fantasy rule the costume design category of the Academy Awards this year.  Every nominee was already quite accomplished with numerous awards before this year.  Even so, the work below speaks for itself on its own film's merits: For the lush Anna Karenina, costume designer Jacqueline Durran first studies paintings of the 1870's then drew inspiration from 1950's silhouettes for a more contemporary feel.  This is the couture candidate, bringing in millions worth of Chanel diamonds and gowns inspired by Balenciaga and Dior. For the historical...

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First Lady Style - A History

I visited the nation's capital this weekend. I'm not a political person, but was drawn to the National Museum of American History's First Ladies exhibit.  While the exhibition had artifacts ranging from their dinnerware to personal effects, the highlight was clearly their gowns.  Not all of them were the inaugural gowns, but they represented the style each of them possessed.   Michelle Obama's famous white Jason Wu inaugural gown were on display.  You learned that Grace Coolidge was known as "sunshine" had terrific flapper style in the 1920's.   Certain designers...

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SAG Awards Beading

Night and day, the gowns were at last night's Screen Actor's Guild awards.  As always, I pick my favorite embellished gowns for embroidery and beading. Jenny Packham scored a lot of red carpet time with beading like a night sky on Jenna Fischer and edgy studded embellishments on Kelly Osbourne.  Nicole Kidman was elegant in a floral applique navy gown from Vivienne Westwood. There were some terrific bridal alternatives to be found in the white dresses that came down the carpet.  Mad Men's Kiernan Shipka wore an off-white Oscar de la Renta dress.  Jayma Mays from Glee...

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Trendspotting: Hair Fashion

Not sure if this is gross, avant-garde or rehashed vintage... Charlie le Mindu just showed a Goth chic collection feature human hair as embellishment in Paris for Spring 2013.  He was inspired by women who scared him.  The dramatic looks were tastefully done, but he certainly wasn't the first to use hair... Alexander McQueen's Savage Beauty exhibit showed pieces with some taxidermy chic... A dress featuring horsehair and a dress accented with bird skulls: Monkey fur was widely used in the 1920's and 1930's as a way to add drama to vampy femme fatales on screen.  It also fave...

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Czar by Cesar Galindo Spring 2013

 Cesar Galindo has been a hired gun for many of the fashion world's top collections.  His own collection for a spring 2013 runway show is a crowd pleaser. What I learned from his pretty Spring 2012 collection was that he drapes a flattering silhouette, and he knows how to pick his colors were precision.  This formula served him well again this season.  He had flowing maxi dresses in bright solids or graphic black and white prints.  Sunny tangerine, turquoise, yellow, hit all the top spring notes.  Long, draped garments were also forgiving to his customers who...

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Modern Vice - Made in NY

What are your vices?  Are they funky, upscale footwear made in the heart of New York's Garment District? The Adoni family is a multi-generational shoe producer.  Jordan and Jensen Adoni are shoe design entrepreneurs whose father opened a factory in Brooklyn many years ago. The two brothers are now bringing their love of New York to their label, Modern Vice.  The upscale shoes are made with luxury materials right in the heart of Midtown's fashion center.  If you visit their factory, you will see skilled artisans dying, cutting and stitching the products right in front...

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Trendspotting: Origami Fashion

I grew up making origami, originally taught to me by mother.  A traditional childhood paper craft, she never thought it would become a lifelong obsession with me... In high school, I graduated to making origami jewelry and greeting cards that would become my little side hustle at craft fairs. For my senior year fashion design thesis at Parsons School of Design, I created a wedding dress out of silk gazar origami birds on a hooped satin organza base (see above).  This one got a lot of mileage, as fashion magazines from the U.S. and Spain asked to feature it. Origami also became...

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First Lady Style: Michelle Obama

She chose Jason Wu again!  This was as much of a surprise to the designer as everyone else yesterday.  Michelle Obama wore Jimmy Choo shoes to match. Jason Wu was a 26 year old, little known favorite only known to fashion insiders when Michelle Obama chose his white gown for the first inaugural ball: Has there ever been a First Lady of the United States that has made a bigger impact on the fashion industry than Michelle Obama? The wife of newly re-elected president Barack Obama has been a style pioneer, turning cult designers or up and coming talents...

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Blue Jeans Exhibit at Centraal

How much do you love your jeans?  The fashion staple started as work wear in the 17th century and evolved into a high-fashion must-have in the 20th century.  Centraal Museum in the Netherlands pays tribute to history of denim and the designers that have made jeans a fashion icon. The exhibit includes some of the first jeans from Levi's as well as designs from Chanel, Martin Margiela and scores of other fashion heavyweights.  You can explore how traditional methods of processing jeans has been destroying the environment and the sustainable materials or eco-friendly techniques...

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Comme Des Garçons Fall 2013

Comme des Garcons wants you to regress to adolescence. By their "Tree of Youth" inspiration for fall 2013, they want you to relive the most awkward, most unfashionable teenage years, not the cute retro looks of prom. The male models came out in wigs that looked like they were stolen by an eccentric aunt. Jackets in terry patterns and pastel colors that looked like they were borrowed from a girlfriend's bathroom were paired with printed pants that looked like pajamas. Bunny ears and Mickey Mouse ears by Stephen Jones crowned the ironic, must-have-been-high ensembles. I'm not sure if...

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Celeb Stylist Kate Young for Target

Joining a long line of fashion notables like Prabal Garung, Jason Wu and Missoni, celebrity stylist Kate Young will launch her collection with mass market retailer Target this spring. The stylist has worked on the red carpet looks with starlets like Michelle Williams and Natalie Portman.  While Kate has been in the fashion industry as a consultant to labels like Armani Exchange and Ann Taylor, this will be the first collection to bear her name.   Job seekers, take note:  Kate Young has worked as a stylist in the past for Target.  In a tv interview last year, she...

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Porsche Twin Bag Launch

You know Porsche for sleek cars.  How often do you shop for luxury fashion goods from them?  The Porsche Design boutique on Madison avenue hosted a launch party for their first purse, the Twin Bag. The Twin Bag is a ladylike, multi-tasking handbag.  It's basic silhouette reminds you of an iconic Birkin, but it has dual-purpose straps so you can wear it on your shoulder or carry it by hand (as demonstrated by the models above).  Officially launching in March, the bags were available for custom orders last night.  You had your choice of colors and super luxurious...

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Jenny Packham Spring 2013

I love feminine, but modern embellished dresses.  Jenny Packham's collection is what I would wear every day (if it was appropriate).  I know most of the sequined or embroidered frocks scream evening to most people, but I love shiny objects in the daytime.  I don't see why a short sequined dress and a cardigan can't be office wear? The color palette for spring 2013's NY fashion week show was certainly adoptable by the masses.  Beige, grey, butter yellow, black... HRH Kate Middleton is a big fan.  This is a collection for modern princesses.  Is there anything...

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Invitation: Norma Kamali's Closet Cleanse

Looking to raid an iconic American designer's closet?  RSVP to the address above... Looking to do your own closet detox and win $3000 for a designer wardrobe renewal?  Check out Hello La Mode's giveaway here.&nbs...

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Top Ten Websites for Indie Fashion Designers

Designers! Whether you are a fashion fan looking to jump in, or a veteran of the industry, starting your own indie fashion venture is intimidating.  Luckily, the internet has great resources for fashion entrepreneurs of every level.  Here are my top ten websites for start-up fashion: Reference/Sourcing: Looking to produce locally?  I was just introduced to Maker’s Row.  It is a beautifully designed site that vets domestic factories for clothing and accessories.   Fashiondex has been around for awhile.  The site isn't fancy, but...

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