Upcoming designer collaborations

It's a beautiful thing when brands and designers decide to collaborate together, whether it be by designing a single item for a store, or a complete collection. It's probably the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" synergistic idea, but I believe that when two creative, talented groups join forces, the result is going to be doubly amazing. See: Target's GO collection which paired the store with several high-end designers for capsule clothing releases, and also MAC's limited edition collections with clothing brands, artists, designers, musicians, socialites, etcetera.

Without further ado, here are some upcoming collaborations:

*Karl Lagerfeld and Shu Uemura - The Chanel designer paired with the asian beauty brand (which recently disintegrated all of its boutiques and counters in the United States, but can still be purchased online) to create a capsule collection of makeup. Harper's Bazaar offered up the recently released video which shows Lagerfelds rendering of the cheeky, cartoonish "Mon Shu girl". An interesting fact is that Lagerfeld claims to have used Shu Uemura cosmetics for the last decade when he sketched his designs, as he claimed that the makeup produces the most beautiful colors. Beauty High published a first look of the collection's packaging which shows the Mon Shu girl...with red eyes. Hmmm.

*Sephora and Disney - Beauty chain Sephora already has a few exclusive collections that it houses in-store, such as the Tarina Tarantino, Hello Kitty, Kat Von D, Tokidoki and Charlotte Ronson makeup lines. And in October, Sephora and Disney will send out a cosmetics collection centered around Cinderella, which will include fragrance, eye makeup, lip gloss and nail polish  to be followed a few months later by two other, as of yet unannounced, Princess collections. InStyle recently published a photo of a few of the items in the Cinderella line.

*Milly and Sperry - This pairing was one of those, "Why didn't we think of this sooner?" ideas. Both companies are known for producing items in classic silhouettes and simple styles with prints ranging from demure to fantastical ((For example: Sperry Exhibit A (classic style) and Sperry Exhibit B (fantastical style)). Both Sperry and Milly sell the collaborative collection on their respective websites, though Milly's site seems to offer a few more styles than does Sperry's.

(photos c/o revolveclothing.com)

*MAC and Archie Comics - MAC always pairs up with established names to create limited-time only, interestingly named and uniquely packaged makeup...and the collaborations show no signs of slowing down. There are usually at least three or four in a given year, each only being on shelves for a short few weeks before a new collection rolls out. My personal favorite past MAC collabs were the Barbie Loves MAC, as shown by Makeupbag.net, and the MAC for Manish Arora, as shown by Musings of a Muse. Musings of a Muse also gives a short "about" section regarding the release of MAC and Archie Comics.

*JC Penney and Marchesa - Yeah, this seems to be a sensitive subject considering that JC Penney's recent marketing strategy and brand placement overhaul has hit a snag, what with seriously low first quarter profits and with the president Michael Francis peacing out from his position. There isn't much information available regarding this upcoming pairing, and I'll admit that the teaming up of these two brands makes me scratch my head. Target's GO collection, for instance, relies on higher-priced (but not costume or couture) brands pairing with the cheap-but-chic store, and it works out. But JC Penney -known for its overpriced, cheaply made clothes - pairing with Marchesa, the brand responsible for outfitting celebrities in the dreamiest gowns cut from the loveliest fabrics on the red carpet...seems like a stretch. I can't picture what a product of this collaboration will look like, but I'm definitely interested to sneak a peek if and when it hits stores.


*J Brand and Christopher Kane - Considering that this will be the third time that the nature-motif loving runway designer and the upscale denim brand have paired up to design a collection, it's safe to say that the duo works well together. She Finds released images of a few items that will be available for purchase from the latest collection, with most pieces erring on the neon side of the color spectrum.

*H&M and Maison Martin Margiela - H&M is the inexpensive, freestanding, clothing-only boutique answer to Target. So it makes sense that the chain is partnering with high-end designer labels on some of its collections. The pieces created by the  Maison Martin Margiela label skew toward the dark and deconstructed, with gratuitous doses of minimalism (oxymoron?) added in for flavor. And though no photos or promotional images have been released as of yet, Fashionista.com delved into the details of the partnership here. I do hope that this collection is more subdued - and thus, wearable - than the H&M and Versace collaboration, as that collection looked like an explosion of tropical plant prints that would be better suited on "not-worn-in-an-ironic-way" Hawaiian shirts sported by senior citizen tourists. But hey, that's just my two cents.

*Nordstrom and Miss Wu AND Topshop - Nordstrom isn't pulling any punches in its pursuit of bringing not only new brands, but also well-known, established brands to its legions of customers. Nordstrom will play host to an in-store Topshop "shop" as well as a lower-priced Jason Wu collection called "Miss Wu". With the addition of several beauty labels (Jouer, Kevyn Aucoin Beauty and Vincent Longo), Nordstrom's recent update has definitely hit the mark. I can say that I personally am excited about Kevyn Aucoin, Vincent Longo and the Topshop offerings, as I am already a loyal customer to all of those brands.

 (Looks from the Miss Wu line)

J.Crew and New Balance - The American-made shoe brand has paired with the All-American outfitter for yet another limited-edition version of the classic 998 sneaker. Kicks on Fire shows the details on two sneakers offered; one with a suede navy upper and gray, white and red accents, while the other has a gray upper with blue, white and orange accents.

 

Target and Odin - Target is pairing up with boutique Odin to create a collection for the store's Shops at Target. Odin is a small menswear shop that houses well-curated pieces from select designers such as 3.1 Phillip Lim, Thom Browne and Shipley & Halmos. Shops at Target are collections within the store where well-known stores, hotels, restaurants, spas, etcetera, in the nation collaborate with the mass retailer to create clothing that encompasses each individual  brand's unique aesthetic. For instance, in stores now is clothing for The Webster (a Miami boutique), Privet House (a Connecticut odds-and-ends shop), Cos Bar (an Aspen-based beauty shop), Polka Dog Bakery (a Boston canine treats store) and The Candy Store (a San Francisco sweets shop).

(Odin c/o nymag.com)

 (Odin c/o ny.racked.com)

I'm pretty excited about everything I see, but I'd love to know what your favorite collection is. Are you partial to the Target collaboration or the smaller partnerships? Can't wait to get your hands on all of the new Nordstrom offerings? Comment and let me know!

Fall 2012 Couture influenced nail art

Now that nail art is seen as an acceptable and fashionable form of artistic expression (it seems to have almost completely stripped itself of its formerly tacky connotations: crazy aunts, ghetto mamis, guidettes, white trash vixens, etcetera), it seems as though everything has potential to inspire a 10-finger masterpiece, from sunsets to Disney movies to Andy Warhol's artwork, and there is no shortage of people ready and willing to create tiny works of art, using their hands (and feet) as their tableaus.

From Flickr, to blogs, to YouTube uploads, the internet is a goldmine that showcases the talented individuals that are taking nail art to an elevated platform.
My favorite nail blog is The Daily Nail, as my mind is blown every single time I read a new post. The blogger decided to, in October 2010, dedicate every day to a new manicure. This reminds me of Julie Powell's culinary journey a la "Julie and Julia". The author (and amazing artist) is inspired by a range of interests that translate into some very, very cool manicures. From movies to books, songs, food, characters, culture, etcetera, every bit of pop culture is represented.  My favorites manicures of hers include sixties-inspired  "In the 'Mod'", the Smurfs "Blast from the Past", Dr. Seuss "Dr. Seussical" - plus many more.

Should you now have the itch to do some more nail art exploring, here are a few links to get you started on your search:

1. Hey, Nice Nails!

2. Pretty in Polish

3. Chalkboard Nails

4. Cute Polish 

5. Pixie Polish


Everyone draws inspiration from somewhere for nail art. My inspiration comes from the Fall 2012 couture shows. With hundreds of glorious, custom-made pieces brimming with ornate, one-of-a-kind details, the treasure trove of outfits from couture week would give me more than enough fodder to do a few manicures. Following are some of the looks that are begging to be recreated via nail art. (Gown photos c/o nymag.com)


1. Christian Dior's electric green ballgown

Possibly using Rescue Beauty Lounge's Abi nail polish?

2. Valentino's royal purple Baroque dress

Possibly using Essence's Purple Magic polish?

3. Armani Prive's glittering pastel gradiant gown

Possibly using Essie's shades of Lilacism, Bangle Jangle and Cascade Cool?

4. Zuhair Murad's vibrantly hued, three-dimensional blossoms

Possibly using Nails Inc.'s polishes in St. James, Portobello  and Floral Street?

5. Alexandre Vauthier's metallic hardware

Possibly using Deborah Lippmann's Boom Boom Pow and Like a Virgin polishes?

At the Vanity - Makeup samples and subscription boxes

Ah samples, who doesn't love them?

Why would I buy a full-size product and hope that it lives up to the claims on its packaging when, instead,  I can test out a small-size portion on my own time, away from garish department store lighting and pushy salespeople? Many times, these samples are what draw customers back to in to buy the full-size portions. When I'm working in Sephora, several clients will return to the store days after having sampled a product, asking to buy the full-size product.

With the advent of stores like Sephora and Ulta, whose claims to fame are the accessible testers of each item sold in-store, consumers now want to test out products before buying them. And with good reason. For instance,several people have very sensitive skin that reacts negatively to certain ingredients found in many products. Others simply want to test out a product to wear over the course of a normal day in their life to see if it works with their specific wants and needs (say, a cross-country skier with perennially dry skin will need a different moisturizer than a teenage girl who is looking to cut down on oil and shine). At Sephora, we make sure to ask each client what issues he or she is looking to target and fix. This enables us to create samples of products that are specifically targeted to fix said issue while keeping in mind the unique preferences of the client.

Sephora has a "club" that shoppers can join which allows them to rack up beauty points that can be traded in for large, consistently updated samples of products. At any given time, there will be three different 100-point products, and one or two 500-point products offered in deluxe samples to beauty insiders. These samples usually change on a weekly basis. At my Sephora location, the three 100-point samples for this week are a Tarina Tarantino Fleur de Lash mascara, an Ole Henriksen  Truth Serum Collagen Booster and a Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm. The 500-point gift is a Caudalie 3-piece Beauty Essentials kit.

(photo c/o sephora.com)

These products can be chosen in-store or online, and there is a link on the website where Beauty Insiders can see which products are being offered at any given time. Even if shoppers aren't part of the Beauty Insider program, every online order allows them to choose three samples from a large selection of possible choices.

Aside from free samples, the store has a section called "Beauty To Go" where smaller sized versions of popular products are available so that, as with sampling, clients can try products to see if they like them before throwing down a pretty penny on something that leaves them feeling "meh". These junior versions of products in Beauty To Go can also function as travel size products when one doesn't want to deal with the hassle of redistributing a product into different containers.

It's not just Sephora that's in on the "deluxe sample" action. New Beauty (of the magazine) recently set up a boutique shop in the Los Angeles Fred Segal boutique, where they launched the TestTube, a sampling station inside of the store where customers can pack a capsule with samples that they choose from the 30 available options.

 But it's not just brick-and-mortar stores that offer freebie packs.

Beauty brands such as Julep have started subscriber programs where, for a monthly fee (Julep's is $20 per month) the brand will mail a box of items (some sample-sized, others full-sized) every month for the user to try.

Birchbox, Glossybox, Joliebox and Lust Have It are all companies that were founded on the same premise as above (a subscription to a monthly box of beauty goodies), but instead of sending only a single brand's products, various brands are represented in each package. And though there seems to be a point of contention between these brands (they are essentially built on the same business model), not all are stationed stateside - Glossybox focuses on international brands and is based out of several different countries, Birchbox is also home-based, but focuses both on well-known brands and up-and-comers, Joliebox is made in the United Kingdom and France and Lust Have It is Australia's version.

 (photo c/o birchbox.com)

(photo c/o glossybox.com)

(photo c/o joliebox.co.uk)

(photo c/o lusthaveit.com.au)

 Blogger Pink Sith showed the goods that she received in her June 2012 Birchbox: a full-size Stila bronzer, a Juicy Couture fragrance sample, a Coola mineral sunscreen, a lip stain from The Balm and a colorful ziplock bag that is the perfect size to take on flights. (Did you click on the link for the Stila bronzer? Anything that is sent out in the monthly Birchbox can be purchased from birchbox.com).

If one is a fan of novelty and discovering new products and brands, then these subscription boxes may be just the answer. As was discussed on Pink Sith, the $10/month price for the Birchbox may seem negligible when a $36 bronzer is delivered in the box. However, it's a gamble. What if a subscriber doesn't like anything that was sent in the box for three months? Is that $30 that could have potentially been spent on one full-size product that the subscriber knows that she would have loved? But then again, people pay for magazine subscriptions with the hope that each issue will behold information that is relatable and interesting. That doesn't always happen, either.

So, what are your thoughts on these beauty subscription/sampling services? Would you be willing to pay for one, and if so, which?

Best of Menswear - Spring 2013

(images c/o style.com)

I find that I like watching the progression of menswear shows because they provide me with a different perspective as to which outfits I like and why. With the womens shows, for instance, I look at each piece coming down the runway from a few viewpoints, such as:


A) Is the overall look flattering to the wearer (or rather, would it be flattering to a non-model)?


B) Is there something innately attractive about it and/or is there a particularly well-executed aspect to the outfit, be it print, color, cut, fabric, or all of the above?


 C) Is there a sense of newness to the look that lends a certain novelty to it? Is said newness so interesting that it could potentially spawn a new trend?


D) Do I like the outfit because it looks like a day-to-day outfit I would and could readily wear, an outfit that I would want my alter ego to wear, an outfit that is so luxurious, custom-made and untouchable that it would live only in my daydreams or is it unwearable, but should still be admired and commended like a beautiful piece of art?

There are always quite a few outfits I like for the artistic value they lend rather than for their attractive appeal. This can be good and bad. The bad comes into play when I like an outfit for its well-executed details, but then I forget about the big picture, namely that it may not be appealing to the opposite sex. I get so excited about little details like, for instance, a well-placed bow or pleated leather on an outfit that I forget that said bow is mounted atop a shoulder pad or that the pleated leather is also harboring sharp studs; neither look coinciding with traditional ideas of what men generally find to be attractive attire. For instance, I remember showing this Balmain Resort 2013 number to a guy friend, gushing over how much I liked the outfit, only to be met with resistance on his part. Our conversation went something like this:
Him (looking at the picture): "Wait, so, why do you like what she's [the model] wearing?"
Me: "The pants are perfectly tailored and they hit the ankle at the right point so that the heel isn't overlapped by fabric. The well-defined shoulders of the jacket offset the --"
Him: "Stop. I don't care about where the heels and the jacket meet, or whatever. Those are jester pants and they don't look good. Find a dress. Without that pattern. Seriously, it's weird."

But with the menswear shows, I browse the offerings both as a lover of fashion that takes into account the four types of criteria from above, and also from a woman's viewpoint, deciding whether or not an outfit, though it has interesting details or is artistically sound, would look appealing on a man.

 For instance, though I am in awe of how great this Alexander McQueen outfit looks on this particular model who is languidly standing in a whitewashed studio, if I were to see a guy-next-door wearing this, concerns about his character would most assuredly come up. Suffice to say, the ratio of chest hair exposed versus shirt plus the juxtaposition of interesting prints and then the addition of a pocket square would probably make me slink the other way. Unless this man was lounging casually on a yacht docked somewhere in Lido, then no, we'd not be friends.

But then take a peek at the Canali look underneath. The suit is elegant, yet relaxed, as is the jacket. This look conveys the message of, "I know how to dress and I take pride in my appearance, but clothes don't rule my life." The light jacket and the semi-relaxed fit of the suit, combined with the neutral color palette and malleable fabrics makes this look something I am in complete favor of. I feel as though I could hug this guy without worrying that I'd put a detrimental crease in anything that he's wearing.

That being said, here is a rundown of some looks that I favored from the Spring 2013 menswear shows.

Walter Van Beirendonck - This look would probably fall into the B and D categories from above. I like the crisp cut of the jacket, especially with the brass buttons (surprising) and it looks great when paired with the collarless piqué shirt. The sheer flamboyance of the look earns it a D, and that tophat is so Mad Hatter that I have no choice but to love it.

Neil Barrett - I think I like the idea of this look more than the actual outfit itself. By all means, put a casual douse on that formal jacket, but perhaps the satin lapels are pushing it over the top. But the colors are perfect and I like the "business on the top, party on the bottom" idea.

Hermès - Just as the above look from Neil Barrett suggested a split-down-the-middle ratio of casual to formal wear, then this look by French fashion house Hermès is the less dramatic, more luxurious cousin to it. And if the baseball shirt mentioned in the Style.com review by Tim Blanks is what we're seeing here, then it is made from chiffon crocodile.

Canali - This collection was pure gold. Several "themes" were enmeshed in designer Giorgio Canali's show, enabling people with varying tastes to cherry pick their way through the collection (or perhaps give every piece a thumbs-up). Looks ranged from relaxed, white suits that mimicked styles of Gatsby-esque landed gentry to the dramatic flair of a metallic suit to the bright and formal jackets that Brad Goreski tends to favor. Though there are eccentric additions to the outfits, they overall remain down-to-earth and approachable.

Ermenegildo Zegna - Dapper.

Diesel Black Gold - Somehow this works. Even with the vest. Especially with the bag.

Berluti - Italian-helmed, Paris-based brand Berluti is known for its fine leather mens shoes and bags. According to Tim Blanks' review, the brand used to offer its 'Alessandro' shoe in more than 100 colors, such was its commitment to ensuring that every customer got a pair suited distinctly for him.The brand has seemingly crept into designing clothing as well, and thank goodness for that, as each look in this collection lends a custom elegance that doesn't take attention away from the wearer, instead serving only to enhance him.

Brioni - Brioni's collection gains power from its simplicity. No frills or head-scratching accessories, simply well-hewn pieces cut from (what looks to be) crisp linen. Also, all of the great shoes. Lace-ups to loafers...all great.

Belstaff - This English brand is best known for the waterproof outerwear it created specifically for travelers, most notably its creation of waxed cotton used to repel the elements. The outdoorsy lineage can still be spied in the line's latest offerings, but with a decidedly more "city guy" appeal. But that could be due to the sandals. Can't ride a motorcycle, go spelunking or go hunting in footwear like that. But physically taxing activities aside, I'm a fan of what I see.

Burberry - Oh Christopher Bailey, always keeping us on our toes. The designer does a fabulous job of ensuring that the historic brand stays relevant with the younger generations, not only by introducing a makeup line, but also by employing famous Brits such as starlet Emma Watson and supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to star in ad campaigns. The curve ball that came at us in this collection? Neon metallics. On sandals, on sunglasses, on trousers...and yes, even on the brand's bespoke trenches. Some looks are blindingly bright, while others seem to mimic the brand's age-old appeal to neutrals...until you catch a neon-encompassed foot. Cheeky man, that Mr. Bailey. I like it.