Yes, yes. Blue is my favorite color, and I am drawn to it like a moth to a flame. This season, Swedish easy-on-the-wallet fashion giant H&M has dedicated a section of their style finder to all things blue. Hello… eye candy! Lots of cute and inspired takes on denim jackets, vests and accessories; and, refreshing turns on how to pair your jeans with fantastic layers that pop. This is all the more reason I should pay more attention to H&M. I missed out on some seriously cute cropped blazers, skinny jeans and statement pumps from last season. I am now vulturing in on some Spring 2010 wardrobe staples. Check out some denim-friendly looks I put together here, via H&M’s virtual “Try It On” feature!
The denim jacket. Hanging out with the girls... or the boys!
The jeans shorts. A hint of denim for a leggy sidewalk runway stroll.
The skinny jeans. A party outfit with glamour spilling out.
– Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: H&M
With so much rain, sleet, and snow lately, what better way to remedy your cabin fever than to weather the storm and go shopping! There’s plenty of denim that will put a little snap, crackle and plenty of pop into your wardrobe (and spirits).
Alexander Wang Denim w/belt, $170.00
Black denim pants with leather belt detailing and metal hardware. Mad Max for the modern woman.
Rock & Republic Crazy Low-Rise Malevolent Jeans, $248.00
Gorgeous edgy jeans in a metallic black/silver wash for the fashionable rocker chick.
Rock & Republic @ Bergdorf Goodman
Marc by Marc Jacobs Diamond Denim Dress, $298.00
This fabulous tribal print denim dress is a breath of fresh air for any spring wardrobe.
MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, $275.00
A sexy denim tube dress easy to slip on and easy to slip off.
MM6 Maison Martin Margiela @ Shopbop
Andy Warhol for Pepe Jeans
Andy Warhol makes Pepe pop with iconic prints.
Just in time for the spring, it’s La Dolce Vita! The Italian powerhouse, Missoni, has gotten Chuck’d and taken for a whirl-wind of a ride in a collaborative love affair with the American All-Star rock ‘n’ roller. Dropping in selected stores in April, Missoni’s iconic pattern graces the Chuck Taylor in two color patterns at $200 a pop! Sizzling!
Jimmy Choo NixenPlatform, $795.00
Rock that 70s style in these platform corked heel sandals. To complete the retro look, add the Martha clutchindenim with jazzy lightening bolt and star print, $1050.00
–Nikki Cho Russo
Tags: Alexander Wang, Andy Warhol, Converse, Jimmy Choo, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Missoni, MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, Pepe Jeans, Rock & Republic
JFour Premium Denim.
Kitson is the kind of boutique where you can spend a lot of time getting lost, just absorbing the fashion eye candy: clothes, accessories, the latest celebrity-designed collection, “Team Angelina” shirts, and knickknacks that you’ll be sure to see Audrina Patridge or Paris Hilton show off to paparazzi on their coffee runs.
Thanks to the Kitson Web site, the information overload doesn’t end, but it is easily streamlined in its Web exclusive denim sale! No rifling through stacks of jeans.
Denim of Virtue Patience Tapered Jean.
You’ll shop for JFour (J4) Premium Denim for $37.25, or Denim of Virtue for as low as $50.40. Other brands are also available. If you choose to shop further, don’t blame me if you end up spending hours clicking through. It’s a shopper’s trap.
– Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: Blue Thread, Denim of Virtue
Paris68, a new women’s label created by Marcella Lindeberg, one-half of the married design consultants to William Rast (husband is Johan Lindeberg of J. Lindeberg), debuted her high-end women??™s wear collection during New York fashion week. In the audience were Justin Timberlake with girlfriend Jessica Biel in full support along with fashion powerhouses Carin Roitfeld, Nina Garcia, Terry Richardson and Jefferson Hack.
Paris68 was conceived in her studio in Soho, New York, and produced exclusively in Florence. The 30 piece collection exudes a bold modern woman reflecting Marcella’s personal style of rockstar glam and her journeys in life. Metallic materials are incorporated onto the dresses, powdery suede materials to provide a dusty feel, mohair was chosen as a preeminent fabric to add a dishevelled contrast to the firmer leather and metallic elements in the form of intricate embroideries and embellishments.
The result, Paris68 reshapes the female silhouette with a range of capes, sartorial jackets, body-con dresses (fiercely pushing the hem line limit), leggings/skirt combinations and the application of textural leather variations on evening dresses. Definitely a label to watch out for.
With a strong background in the denim world with J. Lindeberg’s denim line and creative design input with William Rast, I would not be surprised if Marchella adds denim into her collection in the future. But in the meantime, we’re anxiously waiting to see where her line can be purchased. I can see myself wearing her leggings/skirt combination and a studded denim vest as a staple for next fall.
For more info, go to Paris68
–Nikki Cho Russo
Tags: Marcella Lindeberg, Paris68
The Congress Plaza Hotel, Chicago
Planning to do some serious shopping in Chicago? Then you better hold onto your bills for The Warehouse Sale’s big event, occupying 10,000 square feet at the Congress Plaza Hotel on March 5 and 6. “The unprecedented sale will offer dramatic savings on some 15,000 items of pure value and style including women??™s and men??™s jeans in all sizes (this is not a traditional ???sample??? sale) as well as a full range of tops, jackets, dresses, sweaters, skirts and shorts.”
Expect to find drool-worthy brands like 7 For All Mankind, AG Jeans, Antik Denim, BCBG Max Azria, Chip & Pepper, Christian Audigier, Ed Hardy, English Laundry, Frankie B., Junk Food, Laguna Beach, Lucky Brand, MEK, Monarchy, Morphine Generation, Rock & Republic, Rock Revival, Taverniti So, True Religion, William Rast and more.
Shoppers are encouraged to register in advance at TheWarehouseSale to receive an invitation to the event for expedited entry, or pay $5 at the door.
DEETS
The Congress Plaza Hotel
Great Hall (On Michigan Avenue by Grant Park)
520 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
Community dressing rooms available.
MC/V/AMEX/DISC
Date & Time/More Info.:
RSVP For Friday 3/5/10 (2 PM – 8 PM)
RSVP For Saturday 3/6/10 (10 AM – 4PM)
– Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: 7 for All Mankind, AG Jeans, Antik Denim, BCBG Max Azria, Chip & Pepper, Christian Audigier, Ed Hardy, English Laundry, Frankie B, Junk Food, Laguna Beach, Lucky Brand, MEK, Monarchy, Morphine Generation, Rock & Republic, Rock Revival, Taverniti So, True Religion, William Rast
Waiting in the cold, under a jam packed open tent, I was waiting with fellow Fashion Week spectators to enter the Diesel Black Gold Fall/Winter 2010 runway show. The crowd roared with laughter when a huge chunk of snow dropped on top of the unfortunate fashionistas that didn’t make it under the tent, but that was a small price to pay for fans of Diesel Black Gold who were anxious to see what Sophia Kokosalaki, the new creative director, had in store for her first DBG collection.
What came down the runway was an offbeat rocker look in a color palette of predominantly black, white and grays. The collection consisted of a lot of leather pants, tops, moto-jackets, body-con dresses and mini-skirts, faded denim jeans, shirts, vests, even overalls, and thrown in for good measure were a few velvet pieces that didn’t really gel with the rest of the collection. A bit less glitzy in comparison to past Diesel Black Gold collections, but a noble effort. It didn’t quite hit the mark for me, which is a surprise as a fan of Kokosalaki, but perhaps the second collection will be the clincher. On a more positive note, some of the pieces will work effortlessly with your denim wardrobe such as the denim skirts and distressed faded patchwork jeans.
–Nikki Cho Russo
Tags: Diesel Black Gold
Blackbird slim Hazlewood Jean.
Seattle-based Blackbird boutique has just released their new Hazlewood Jean, a dark and slim unisex number, made lovingly for denim aficionados who care about every detail:
- MADE IN U.S.A.
- 5-Pocket jean
- Raw Cone denim in extra dark indigo
- Dirty dark brown/gold stitching
- All black unbranded hardware
- Black leather label hand-stamped by Blackbird goons
- Extra tough over-stitched belt loops, and
- Chain-stitched hem in varied lengths.
Size down for best fit.
From the looks of it, the Hazlewood is cut with a slimmer thigh than, say, Nudie’s Slim Kim, another unisex jean.
This jean was inspired by Ballard bar Hazlewood (think Lee Hazlewood) and its owner Drew Church. A few years ago, Drew created a Blackbird cocktail which contains squid ink and remains a staple drink to-date. Hazlewood is about the size of a postage stamp and generally where you will find the Blackbird gang and our favorite customers sipping old-timey inspired creations. As a follow-up to the Sunset Hotel Jean, this style bears the same universal ‘fits anyone’ slim cut as its predecessor with the differences residing in the details.
Currently sold at The Field House and at BLACKBIRD.
– Kathy Ng Hassan
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Blackbird | 2208 NW Market St. Suite 320 | Seattle | WA | 98107
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Tags: Blackbird, Nudie Jeans
Photo via Coutorture.
Photo via Coutorture.
Ah yes, J Brand certainly keeps us denim lovers on our toes. Their latest collaboration is with none other than Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, the duo who make up Proenza Schouler.
???We are extremely excited to work with Lazaro and Jack. They have great vision, a point of view, are incredibly talented and fun to work with,??? said Jeff Rudes, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of J Brand.
???Everyone we know wears J Brand. It was an easy choice,??? continued Hernandez and McCollough.
Proenza Schouler debuted a Fall 2010 exclusive denim collaboration with J Brand jeans at the Proenza Schouler Fall/Winter 2010 runway show last night at New York Fashion Week. This one season collaboration marks the first ever jean produced by Proenza Schouler. Featured on the runway was a graphic-printed, exaggerated high rise skinny jean in 11 oz. Japanese stretch denim, which was further hand painted to accentuate texture and dimension.
???For fall 2010 we are exploring ideas closer to home. Urban elements are important as is the idea of uniforms. Denim fits the bill as the most ubiquitous item in most people??™s wardrobe. Proenza Schouler will for the first time, explore this classic element, never-the-less infusing it with the Proenza Schouler DNA,???said Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler.
The jean collection will be available in exclusive specialty stores mid-July.
Source: Wetherly Fashion Group.
– Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: J Brand, J Brand/Proenza Schouler, Proenza Schouler
‘Swonderful. ‘Smarvelous. Geren Ford’s fall 2010 collection channels a bygone era in the fluttery dresses and smart-yet-dramatic Flash Gordon-esque jackets. And, maybe I’ve got too much of her on the brain, but don’t the featured looks all seem too Alexa Chung-inspired to you? If you’re an AC follower, then you know she likes the vintage looks.
Every dress piece is cut with a looser fit in mind, somewhat reminiscent of how a Flapper should be rockin’ it. It’s less body-con, but still flattering for all the young things who want to kick up a heel.
As for the drop-crotchy harem pants, all it needs is for a model to rock a diva turban. Norma Desmond, are you ready for your close-up? The ghosts of Jean Harlow, Kate Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich are trapped in this collection, and I’d feel honored to catwalk in their shoes! I can’t decide whether the looks are just old Hollywood prosperity bubble or pre-Dust Bowl.
And for the denim looks, nothing too new here, but nonetheless tasteful and impeccably stylish. I’m really digging on the riding-pant style patches in the photo at left.
– Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: Geren Ford
Normally, when I make my way down to Greenwich Street it’s usually because I’m driving through traffic hell en route to cross the Holland Tunnel, but now that those days are thankfully over, my only destination in that neck of the woods is to get to Aloha Rag. A long time favorite store of mine, they have a location at 505 Greenwich Street (at Spring Street). The store is well curated with coveted brands such as Balmain, Margiela, Balenciaga, and Comme Des Garcons, to name a few. I bought my lovely R13 jeans there that I absolutely love.
A regular customer and fan of Aloha Rag’s simple cardigans is Thakoon Panichgul, the Thai-born, Omaha-raised, design darling of Anna Wintour. Thakoon recently showed his Fall 2010 RTW collection at New York Fashion Week. After a mention of Aloha Rag’s cardigans being a uniform for him in an interview, Aloha Rag contacted Thakoon and the rest is history.
Last night was the debut of his men’s wear collaboration with Aloha Rag of two plaid unisex cashmere cardigans. I had the pleasure of meeting Thakoon, and of course, he was sporting his current obsession, plaid. With the saying that “little is more”, Thakoon fans are left wanting more of what he has to offer to men’s wear. Perhaps, this is a little prelude to something more to come. We certainly hope so!
Fortunate for New Yorkers, Thakoon’s cardigans are only available at the Greenwich Street store, but you can shop for more Thakoon at Aloha Rag’s online store.
–Nikki Cho Russo
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