Fashion

Last night some members of the Purse Blog team (Megs, Vlad, Intern Joe and myself) had the opportunity to attend an exclusive launch party at the Louis Vuitton store in the Bal Harbor Shops. The event was a little different than what we are used to since the party was for sneakers and not handbags. As many of you know, Kanye West has teamed with Louis Vuitton to create high end designer sneakers. While Megs and I did try and convince Vlad and Joe to snag a pair, I think it is fair to say the sneaks aren’t really our cup-o-tea.

True, these shoes are rather unique (although, do they remind any of you of the old school Reebok high-tops?), but I don’t think I will be rushing out to buy them any time soon. However, there were plenty of others at the event last night that were walking away with boxes and boxes of these shoes. It may or may not come as a shock to you, but a lot of these shoes are close to sold out! Head over to your local LV store and grab some… if it’s your kind of thing.

Image via LA MJC

Cruise show season is kind of odd - instead of having a proper Fashion Week where all of the collections are presented together, they’re released slowly in shows around America and Europe, each with very different backdrops and moods. For example, Chanel, a brand that always shows at Paris Fashion Week, chose to present its Cruise collection this year on a Venice boardwalk.

Louis Vuitton, another house that traditionally shows in Paris, didn’t have a real show at all - instead, the clothes were presented as we see them here. It’s a more understated choice for a more informal season and smaller collection, but that doesn’t mean the sailor-and-pinup-inspired clothes and accessories are any less exciting. In fact, they’re refreshingly clean and pretty, but with just enough 80s urban influence to put Louis Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs’ signature spin on the retro looks.

Click here to see the best looks...

What are we buying when we buy a luxury good? Are we buying a brand name, a well-made product, or an item to ensure that others think a certain way about us when they see it? For most high-end consumers, it’s probably some combination of those options.

Many customers would claim that they buy only for the quality that these products provide, but the reaction of some customers to the recent announcement of Jimmy Choo’s collaboration with H&M seems to run contrary to those claims. Some people were excited to see what the partnership would create, but many Choo loyalists voiced the opinion that the brand was losing something by creating a temporary line for a low-end retailer.

Choo’s fans aren’t the first to scowl at the idea of their favorite label creating an inexpensive product line, and they’ll be far from the last. What seems to be unique about this occasion, though, is that Jimmy Choo is the most broadly known brand yet to dabble in mass-market, low-price retail. So far, many small or independent designers have used the tactic as a way to broaden their name recognition and, potentially, their customer base. Choo, though, is a brand with a pretty clear image in the minds of most women with any sort of fashion consciousness or desire for expensive shoes.

So what happens when a brand with a large following and a seemingly healthy business decides that they want to dabble in the desires of Middle America? Well, according to Robin Givhan of the Washington Post, it means that luxury as we know it is dead.

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This news is just what I wanted to hear today. H&M has a long and well-publicized history of collaborations with high-end designers, but until now, all of those designers had been most well-known for their clothes. Taking things in a slightly different direction, H&M will feature shoes, accessories, AND clothes (CLOTHES?!?!) designed by the folks at Jimmy Choo in select stores this November.

This is the first time that one of the Swedish chain’s designer capsule collections has focused on shoes and accessories (reports are that the clothes will be designed to “compliment” them), and the very idea makes me weep for my weak ankles, one of which I would surely destroy by trying to buy and wear any of the suddenly affordable Choos that are soon to come our way (old soccer accident, the story is gruesome, you don’t want to know). I’m hoping against hope that they make some flats for those like me, but the teaser image that we have shows two high heels, both of which are quite a bit more intricate than I would have expected for a collection like this. And is that the corner of a very shiny clutch that I see peeking out of the frame there? Because if it is, God help me, I will be the first one in line if any of the Atlanta-area H&Ms carry this line. No word on which stores will have it yet (when we find out, we’ll let you know!), but my guess is only the largest and most flagship-y of the locations will see these beauties. November 14, hurry up and get here.

Photo via Vogue UK

Our wait is almost over - Project Runway returns to the airwaves August 20th, according to the new issue of Entertainment Weekly. They’ve got a cover story on the much-missed series this week in which they speak with Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum about the future of the series, the difficulties of waiting, and what we can all expect from our favorite fashion show.

First, the show’s move from New York to L.A. isn’t completely permanent. According to Tim and Heidi, the show will alternate seasons on each coast in order to reap the maximum benefits that the cities have to offer, which should be somewhat of a relief to a lot of the fans that couldn’t fathom shooting a show about fashion anywhere in the country except for New York (I am one of those people). Also, despite the new location, the new network (Lifetime, about which I will not snark since I got in trouble for it in the comments last time), and the new production team (of The Real World fame), Heidi reports that the runway set is more or less exactly the same. Lifetime execs said that they recognized that they already had a winner on their hands with Runway and did not wish to fix something that wasn’t broken.

Keep reading...

Folks, it’s time for me to state the obvious: it’s summer. And for fashion people, that means magazines are getting thinner, store shelves are getting barer, and there won’t be much to sustain us until approximately August (or September, if you’re counting in magazine months). Pre-Fall stuff is trickling in from a few brands, but overall, there’s not a lot to talk about in the handbag world that most of you guys haven’t already seen. I was talking (read: whining) about this to a guy friend earlier today, and his response was, “Well, bathing suits are summery. Why don’t you just write about those?”

My initial reaction was “Psssh, those aren’t handbags,” but then I figured, why not? He might be on to something. So I spent a little bit of time looking around the Internet today for my favorite bathing suit, and I decided that I loved the J.Crew Regal Paisley Bikini. The bold, retro pattern will cover any wear-and-tear that occurs from lazing around the pool or ocean and the slightly more substantial top will give the necessary lift and added security to a girl with a larger-than-average chest. So what bathing suit have you been wearing this summer, or do you still have your eye on several? Buy through J.Crew for $90.

After seeing a few shots from Chanel Cruise 2010, I couldn’t resist sharing some of the highlights with all of you PurseBloggers out there. This has to be one of the most strikingly beautiful runway shows I’ve ever seen, from the Venice Lido boardwalk setting to the 1920s throwback clothes. Karl Lagerfeld said that he chose this particular setting to debut this collection because Coco Chanel was a long-time fan of this particular Italian beach. Coco made yearly visits to this beach during the 1920s, making it particularly appropriate for this set of retro-glam resort wear and beautiful evening dresses. The boardwalk is only steps from the sea, the show began at sunset, and I’ve never found myself wanting to attend any fashion show so much in my entire life.

Click here to see hilights from Chanel Cruise 2009

Black is one of the most essential colors (I know there is a long standing argument about if black is or is not a color) that you must have in your wardrobe. There is the little black dress. The black bag. The black shoes. The black pants. The black clutch. The black tee shirt. The black jacket. Forget the argument of black as a color and realize that black is a staple of most wardrobes. I have a great little black dress from Prada that fits beautifully and has been used for a variety of events. But when I looked in my closet I realized a lack of black bags. I do have a classic Chanel Bag but I am lacking a compact black clutch and a larger black handbag.

I kid you not, I dreamt about a black Hermes Birkin last night. I woke up craving one and questioning whether I should opt for gold hardware or palladium hardware and if 35 cm would be better rather than 30. This year is a great year for investment pieces and a classic Birkin in a color that is classic seems to be a good fit.

Read more on Black Wardrobe Essentials...

In response to some tough economic circumstances, Henri Bendel’s parent-company CEO Leslie Wexner has opted to eschew the luxury apparel market in favor of focusing their stores only on accessories, beauty products, and gifts. Bendel’s is one of the first major luxury retailers to make such a drastic move to improve their business models in the country’s current economic climate, and one has to wonder - will the risk pay off?

Read on!

As most of you know, we are rounding out a fabulous month of Linea Pelle giveaways. Each week, a new bag, a new look, a new chance to win. And today, Creative Director Andrew Cotton provides a guest post and some fun insight into what’s new with Linea Pelle. (Oh, and don’t forget to register for this week’s giveaway, if you haven’t already!) Enjoy!

Show everyone how all that working out this winter paid off from your buff arms in a hot new tank to your toned calves in a sexy pair of heels. Treat yourself to a spray tan for a healthy glow! OR grab a tube of Clarins or even Jergen’s Glow. Either way please swear off all those dangerous uva/uvb rays! Promise me!

This season, you’ll want to start sporting new fresh looks for Spring going in to Summer, so grab your flirty skirts & comfortable tanks & tees and of course your favorite new Linea Pelle Dylan, Alyssa or Janis handbag & start workin it! You don’t have to spend a fortune to update your look!

Click here to read on...