On March 29, Neiman Marcus in San Francisco closed early to play host to high-society socialites and fashionistas for an exclusive look at the Spring 2007 collection of the legendary fashion house Emanuel Ungaro. Peter Dundas, who is breathing a new life into the label, presented a prismatic collection of suits and gowns for the modern woman.
The exclusive crowd was bubbling over in couture: Chanel flowed like water, power suits hugged the shoulders of top-of-the-pyramid men, feminine waists were cinched with in-season wide belts and red soles Christian Louboutin heels left invisble imprints of elegance on the flawless tile of Neiman’s. Among the patented double cheek kisses by the finely-dressed elite, clinking glasses of complimentary cocktails and the background music more suitable for a club - there was me. I stood there in my vintage store garb gorging my face with risotto and ahi tuna hor dourves. Give me a break - I didn’t eat dinner so I was starving.
But back to the matter at hand…
What was Mr. Dundas’s story for Ungaro this spring? The collection showed a prominent art curator who anyone would die to work with. She buries herself in her work and indulges in the high society social scene. She appreciates color and structure (i.e. the suits), but at the same time, she shows her modern bohemian side with grecian gowns and electric colors, metallic sheen, sparkly detail and neon shades (the evening wear).
Did anything go awry? There was this red bolero-esque jacket, I liked it at first, but the more I look at it, the more it looks like a glamorous pair of football shoulder pads (beware of my guerilla photography craftsmanship):
What stood out? The vibrant pattern combinations, goddess silhouettes, gleaming textures and varying waist placements.
Here are some of my favorite looks from the show courtesy of my pseudo-professional photo skills:
The earthy rich feel of this outfit is given a boost of personality with the hood
The beaded sheath has ’40s charm and I adore the movement provided by the feathers at the hem
The detailed belt matched with a grecian white dress with pockets: it’s effortless. There is an air of youth in this - and when I say youth, I mean “fresh,” not “young teen at a slumber party.”
The suit carries a vintage flair and is romantic with a modern edge. I was questioning the use of the belt buckle, but it adds this sleek dimension of geologic color - and it’s growing on me.
The combination of patterns and energetic colors is pleasurably overwhelming.
There were a couple of gorgeous gowns that I would’ve loved to take pictures of, but as you know already, my photo skills, in a word - suck - so here’s a video of the final walk of the pieces on the runway.
Aw shucks. The video cut right before Mr. Dundas came out.
Ah well, if you want to know more about Ungaro, visit www.ungaro.com .
Here are some more items from the chic stock provided by Appel & Frank:
I purchased the CUTEST (and keep in mind, I loathe the term CUTE) t-shirt from Milk Bomb for my nephew that said “Designated Driver”. I may be tired of ironic screenprint t-shirts for adults, but for kids, I can’t get enough of them. Brooklyn import and founder, Steve O’Neil provides some of the greatest onesies and tees for little tykes that have “explosive attitude.” www.milkbomb.com
Emeryville-based Charles Chocolates has to have the most stylish presentation of their delectable confections. I could’ve stayed at their table all day enjoying their caramel sticks, chocolate peanut butter butterflies, assorted chocolate covered nuts and edible boxes, but I would’ve gained 10 pounds and gone into a cavity-driven sugar shock. www.charleschocolates.com
From Emeryville, Kelley Designs gives us some crocheted bags and hats - but this isn’t your ol’ fashioned granny doilies. Her brimmed caps give some urban flair, while those quaint undergarments may make your mother blush. Think of it as traditional crochet meets modern attitude. myspace.com/kelleydesignscrochet
Now this was fancy - Doug of Recover Your Thoughts fashions old library books and makes them into journals. For one, these recycled books can be considered “green.” Secondly, it brings a certain amount of nostalgic charm to writers. Finally, after looking at these books for a while, it made inspired me to buy one and start journaling again. I felt so scholarly. www.recoveryourthoughts.com
When I heard about this company, I had to check it out! Ho On The Go sells a quirky package that is a 3 oz. disposable foil pack containing a thong, toothbrush, condom and sanitary wipes for, you know, those “hos on the go.” How fun is that?! To make things even better, I met the founder of the company, Sunny and found out she was a former Austinite like myself! So I may have a bias, but c’mon - you can’t get any better than a Ho On A Go! (stay tuned for her Man Whore pack!) www.hoonthego.com
Vichelle Mixon of Mixt Bags chooses some of the most lively, yet not too loud, patterns for her collection of finely made handbags and accessories. To add even more into the “mix” she also makes her own soaps. Fragrant, stylish, sassy and modern - you can’t get any better than that.
I am not necessarily a big graphic t-shirt guy, but when I saw the pieces made by Matt Taylor of Custom Industries, I would reconsider. His shirts give these depictions of his exotic travels to places like Thailand, China and my favorite design, Kazakhstan (”Almaty Circus” pictured above). It’s globally minded and there’s a certain spirtual dimension to the work. As an added detail, Matt informed me that he has some of the shirts’ seams stitched with contrasting colors - very eye catching. For those people who can’t really travel abroad too much, these shirts and hoodies (I was enamored with those) can serve as a fashionable substitute. www.customindustries.net
Oh wow. That shopping adventure took so much out of me. I was like a kid in a candy store. I can’t wait to do it again in June 14 when they have their Chic Summer Soiree. I am so there.
Once upon a time (2003 to be exact), two fashionistas by the names of Karen Appel and Jody Frank decided to have an intimate shopping event in Karen’s home. With products from eight Bay Area designers, 40 guests had the opportunity to browse through a lovely array of clothing and accessories.
Fast-forward to 2007 and the Appel & Frank’s yearly events have become San Francisco’s own shop-a-palooza with more than 65 designers from all over the Bay Area, 700 guests and tons of shopping fun that will sure to rid all of that hard earn money out of your pocketbooks.
On March 24, SF’s Regency Center played host to Appel & Frank’s latest shopping fest called Spring into Style.
As I walked in, tables of local fashionistas and arts denizens were showcasing their work - and this isn’t that sort of “Grandma’s crochet arts and crafts” event. This is classy, fun high end “Craft Couture.”
From food to handbags to clothing to beauty products, the event was like a shopping mall but with a lot more class and no teen mallrats mongering about eating soft pretzels and talking about how hot Justin Timberlake is.
Here are some sights, sounds, tastes and designers (in addition to the enjoyable slideshow above) of the event:
Oakland-based Natalie Rickards of sophie says go! handbags makes this jetsetting screenprint bags that serve as intercontinental flair that can hang from your shoulder or arm. Her latest collection give us iconic scenes from her travels to Malaysia and Thailand! www.sophiesaysgo.com
The paw print of Baby Leo Designs may suggest a line of pet accessories, but the name is derived from Mimi Sweeney’s baby boy and her products are kid friendly bibs and blankets with eccentric, colorful tones. From skulls to muscle cars, the items are like pieces of pop culture art for little tykes! And if you look at the pictures above, each blanket has a signature corner stitch which gives them a unique signature from the respected designer. www.babyleodesigns.com
For retro fancy charm go to Carolyn’s Kitchen! Their products are filled with the traits of classic Mrs. Cleaver-esque kitchen garb with “fabulousity.” Creator Carolyn West (from L.A.) says these dish gloves with fur trim and bejeweled gloves and ’40s kitchen aprons (made from real vintage patterns) are perfect for entertaining. How fancy is that? Donna Reed would be so proud. www.carolynskitchenonline.com
Joy Adams of One Sweet Second makes some of the most fragrant soaps. They are so deliciously aromatic, that some people tried to eat the cubes of soaps she put out for samples. Coming in a variety of “flavors” like plum, orchid, honeysuckle, lemongrass, apricot freesia and pomegranate (I loved this one!). She also has a variety bath salts, teas and gifts that you can eat - I mean - use in the bath. www.onesweetsecond.com
LoLo Bags by Oakland-based designer Loretta Nguyen are remarkably filled with urban hipster personality. When chatting with the sprite-like designer, she informed me that she made a handful of the bags in three weeks - which made me wonder if she got any sleep. The bags rival those that you find at any of those commercialized rags and they are so youthful. She also wisely utilizes the indestructible paper material, tyvek, in some of her coin purses and bags. With anime-esque characters drawn on them (courtesy of one of her friends), she stiches them up and makes them into these wonderful accessories that are very charming.
I had to take a quick break from all the shopping so I indulged - actually I inhaled two cupcakes from That Takes the Cake. They all looked so good and they STILL look so good. I devoured the red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and the vanilla cake. They also had carrot cake, coconut vanilla, peanut butter cup…my mouth is just watering thinking about it. www.saralynnscupcakes.com
For some finely tailored clothes, Al’s Attire in SF’s North Beach provided stocked racks of coats, dresses and hats. Designer Al (who was in one of his own fabulously designed blazers) allows his customers to choose their own designs, fabric, lining, buttons and details for their own custom-made outfit. I absolutley LOVE the high-collared trench pictured above. www.homepage.mac.com/alsattire
For more info on Appel and Frank and their events visit their website.
In going with the fashion marketing spirit of high-end names with frugal retailers (i.e. Madonna and H&M, any celebrity with Gap, Proenza Schouler for Target, etc…etc…) “City” star and icon of style Sarah Jessica Parker has added “fashion designer” to her resume with a line called Bitten for the retailer, Steve & Barry’s (unfortunately, from my knowledge, there are none in the Bay Area).
Sounds fun right? Well…not really. Apparently, pictures that weren’t supposed to be shown until the eve of its June 7th launch were leaked on to the internet and fashion bloggers had a lukewarm ovation about the line…
“The line isn’t bad, it’s just boring, the sort of stuff you pick up on the cheap at Target or the Gap. It is completely wearable but utterly uninspired. The line makes H & M and Forever 21 look cutting edge.”
“Sarah Jessica Parker may be giving it her all when it comes to adopting worthy causes, but judging by these photographs it looks as if her fashion efforts, collectively known as Bitten, are relatively lackluster.”
Well, in a sense, there is a lot to be expected from SJP, who was once the Manolo-clad journalist diva on “Sex and the City.”
Now I’m not one to judge considering I haven’t seen the pieces yet, so I guess I will have to wait until the launch. But from what I hear, the line will consist of 500 pieces including cashmere sweaters, dresses, active wear, jeans and accessories all costing $20 or less - and how about that slogan pinned with the label “Fashion is not a luxury, it’s a right.”
Now that’s deep.
Since the pics got pulled off the net and we won’t get a full glimpse of the line until June, you can take a look at Bitten’s skeletal website by clicking here.
There seemed to be a mishap with the pictures (in the hard copy newspaper edition) that ran with my column today (click here for the column). So here are the correct captions with the correct pictures. My sincere apologies to Colleen Quen and Lily Samii.
THE EMPRESS’S NEW CLOTHES: Supermodel Alek Wek struts down the runway at Fashion Week Live! in an “Empress New Coat” and golden “Capese” gown designed by San Francisco’s Colleen Quen. Photo credit: Josie Lepe-Media News
AUTUMNAL JEWELS:Lily Samii’s latest collection provides full-bodied elegance and detailed wonder that defines the female form.
Well San Francisco designers Colleen Quen and Lily Samii showed a taste of their latest collections at the event and they give the fashion scene in the Bay Area a good name.
I got a chance to visit Lily Samii showroom in San Francisco and I was in awe at the magical beauty her collection had. It was very classic and modern at the same time - and it epitomized this charm of organic beauty:
Let’s start with some chic black…
…and now for the Earthy browns…
…finally, the feminine softness of a crisp citron palette
Here were some of my faves:
When chatting with Lily Samii, she was a delightful lady with much insight into the world of fashion. She knows what she likes and she knows what she doesn’t like.
“I want people to get away from tummy sticking out and belly buttons showing,” points out Samii. “Maybe one out of a million have a fabulous perfect flat stomach, but other than that it’s horrible.”
It’s nice to see that someone else shares my point of view on this whole, “let me show my tummy even though I dont need to” look.
As I sat there in her illuminated showroom (located in SF’s Union Square), the purity of her space and the classic beauty her pieces had would suggest that she has a glamorous wardrobe in her closet - but I was proven wrong.
“If you see a picture of me 30 years ago, I still have a black shirt on and a pair of pants at this time of the year,” says Samii.
This goes with her philosophy of fashion in general. “Be yourself, do what you feel comfortable in,” she quips. “Don’t try to wear something that happens to be a fad that looks and feels awful. I’ve always had my basics. A good closet is like a good kitchen, you should pull things out of your closet and be able to mix and match with things.” - and what she says was true. She was wearing a simple black shirt with slacks.
Samii is amazed with the fashion today (besides all those tummies sticking out). She gets a lot of inspiration from the street culture. She enjoys it when younger people have an eye for style and put things together in their own unique way. She even complimented Bailey Locke’s outfit (she was one of the PR divas behind Fashion Week Live!, she was there with me during the interview) - it was quite stylish. She was wearing a quaint shirt dress belted with a beige belt with some matching heels. It may sound plain, but the way she put it together enhanced the style.
The MOST intriguing thing that Samii shared with me was her theory on Bay Area style. In regards to what part of the Bay Area people are from, she pretty much broke it down and explained, in general, the looks people have in the East Bay, North Bay, South Bay and in the city:
East Bay: “They have a little bit more flair – but it’s nothing like Chanel – but it’s their own. It’s very interesting.”
North Bay: “They are very classic, sporty. There is no flair in what they are wearing.”
South Bay: “They are very label conscious – even with their sportswear.”
The City: “When you go out to restaurants in SOMA, you see people dressed in a modern way.”
That said, take a look at yourself and how you dress - in what category do you fall into?
With so much talent under her belt and an eye for flawless constructed style (she said she would be an architect in a heartbeat if she wasn’t a fashion designer), you’d think she would venture off into menswear…
“Actually I have, but I probably won’t,” she says. “It’s a challenge because your limited.”
Unfortunately, due to schedule conflicts I wasn’t able to visit Colleen Quen’s ateleir- but don’t fret! You’ll definitely here more about her later. Here’s more of our conversation when I interviewed her:
Was there a sense of intimidation when you showed your work alongside world-renowned designers at Fashion Week Live?
No intimidation - it’s more like excitement!!! I (was) honored to be one of the local designers to represent San Francisco’s fashion.
Among the designers who showcased, whose pieces did you want to see?
It was all inspiring to me. Although if Christian LaCroix or Viktor & Rolf (were) showing pieces that evening. I think I would just
faint!
Do you think the industry is becoming oversaturated with both talented and non-talented designers?
Every city will have designers of different calibers, and everyone will always have a bias opinion about talent. Some people will gravitate to my work and some people will turn away from it. I guess the most important intention for all San Francisco fashion industry designers is that every designer whom has a business is successfully survive in selling their own expression of their designs to their clientele, which is a challenge and a reward to substain a fashion business here!
From a personal and professional perspectives, What is your fashion philosophy?
When I design, it is to be true and pure with what my intention is.
On Friday, March 23, the third floor of Macy’s Men Store in San Francisco’s was more like a club than a department store. In fact, it was more of an Oasis - because that’s what the event was called.
With draping decor hung from the ceiling, the floor was transformed into a sort of Tahitian cabana (more or less) as models stood on pedestals modeling the latest spring collections from labels like Ted Baker, Michael Kors, Moschino, Gianfranco Ferre amongst a host of others.
Some of the big wig buyers from the labels were rubbing elbows with some of the Bay Area’s fanciest socialites - me and my friend Estela included. We walked through the crowd as these flawless, Ken-doll like models with freakishly Adonis bodies modeled some clothes that I thoroughly enjoyed - but may never be able to afford.
Issues of the latest Details Magazine splashed with David Beckham’s mug (they were co-sponsoring the event) were scattered all over the space and the wall thumping music was provided by Moses Truzman DJ extraordinaire who has played in some of the swankiest clubs in L.A.
As I tried to find the publisher of Details to tell him how much I worshipped the magazine, I got a chance to take some snap shots of the models and the fabulous clothes…and in some cases, the lack of clothes:
Okay, okay…enough with the gratuitous man-candy. Here are some springy looks that I enjoyed and took with my less-than- amateur photo skills:
Original Penguin: Grey Nylon Jacket ($89), Mint Green Plaid Shirt ($79) and Bay Leaf Green Short ($59)
Ben Sherman: Heather Gray Cardigan ($89), White Woven Shirt ($79), Grey/Blue Bermuda Short ($69)
On a side note…this look was my FAVE…but I also have a bias for Marc Jacobs Marc by Marc Jacobs: Navy Sweater ($198), Navy/White Print Short ($158)
A top-notch trench by Thierry Mugler
Another favorite! Hugo by Hugo Boss: Pink V-Neck Sweater ($135), Pink Long sleeve Linen Shirt ($165), White Jeans ($125)
FAVORITE #3!!! Z Zegna: Light Blue Blazer ($750), White Linen Shirt ($225), White Linen Drawstring Pants ($275)
If you didnt get enough shirtless, drooling man candy from the other pictures above, here are two more…
I gathered that not much has changed in terms of spring/summer trends with men: light colors, wispy linens, effortless silhouettes - but they all maintain a masculinity that embody spring. The main difference I do see is that things are a lot more simple. There a sense of ease with all of this and not a lot of that annoying deconstructed mess - very American classic with a smidge of Euro flair.
And as a male, I am so glad they have events that put a sole spotlight on men’s designer clothing. Mix that with cocktails, music and good company and you got yourself a night on the town. Thanks Macy’s - I can’t wait to dive into the next Oasis!
Last weekend I trekked up Powell Street in the city to attend the San Francisco Vintage Fashion Expo at the Nob Hill Masonic Center. I got an extreme workout from walking up that hill. It’s amazing what I do for fashion.
Nonetheless, when I entered the expo it was a virtual utopia of vintage clothing that had vendors from all over the nation (mostly from the Bay Area). It had racks of vintage clothing as far as the eyes can see. I had finally made it. I finally made it to my home planet.
A considerable crowd of eccentric fancy shoppers ranged from rockabilly charm to dandy patrons in garb from the 1920’s to everyday mall clothing.
As I browsed the maze of booths, I was willing to take on the challenge of sifting through clothing (and some retro memorabilia) I wasn’t finding a huge selection of men’s until I came upon…
THE TIE MERCHANT
From L.A., they had ties all the way from the 1920’s until now. I swear, I spent at least 45 minutes trying to decide on which ties I wanted to walk away with. Visit their site by clicking here.
A couple of booths down a pair of white suede bucks caught my eye at the Icon Vintage booth. The people at the booth were very friendly and dressed like a pair ’50s swanky vamps you would find in the movie “Cry-baby.”
I uproariously enjoyed the selection of vintage loot the Berkeley-based (located at 2521 San Pablo Ave #C) had:
SHOES! SHOES! and MORE SHOES!
PURSES! PURSES! and MORE PURSES!
I just HAD to take a picture of this cutesy sailor outfit for a kid. Even though it would make a kid look like a von Trapp family singer, I thought it was adorable.
Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s faux…and FABULOUS!
I moseyed on over to the booth belonging to Vintage Martiniand Woodland Farms Antiques, belonging to a son and mother respectively. I was pleased to find out that they traveled all the way from Dallas, TX to sell their mixture of clothing from the 18th century, Civil War all the way until the 1960’s! Seeing that I am a Texas boy myself I chatted with Ken Weber (owner of Vintage Martini) about how things were back home and then snapped some pics of their vintage flair:
I thought this Pollyanna-esque tea length dress was delicious.
Very interesting…this is very…fluffy.
I moved over to the center row and this is where the vintage couture jackpot was. Vendors had labels like Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Ungaro. While browsing through the racks I ran into the friendly face of Bay Area designer Lily Achatz. She was about to purchase a lovely military style blazer with gold buttons and a sleek striped lining. Her sister asked us about this very quirky, albeit, kind of tacky, necklace of a bejeweled panther serving as the clasp on a choker. It may have been kitschy, but it was very fun to look at. As we chatted, she informed me that somebody snagged a pair of men’s classic Gucci loafers. Where was I when this happened? I would’ve torn those out of his hands. I was so jealous of him. Nonetheless, here are some other random shots of the expo:
At the end of the day, I walked out of the expo with a handful of accessories: a printed silk scarf, three pocket squares (one with an embroidered ‘D’), a Givenchy ascot and two ties:
Besides the adventurous ascot, my favorite item was the blue, eyelet style tie (on the far right above)- I don’t think I would’ve found something like this anywhere else. Look at the detail:
In case you didn’t figure it out, the title of this post is a quote from 300…
After seeing 300, I couldn’t help but think of how hot actress Lena Headey looked as the Queen Gorgo.
Then there was her wardrobe, flowing gowns that show skin but aren’t really that slutty, bold pieces of gold and silver jewelry, dangling earrings of Goddess prowess - much like they wore during this era (I assume).
This all goes with my philosophy in how a lot of fashion coincides with the current hit films of the time. Just think of it this way, when Shrek the Third hits theaters take note of all the green you see.
Manly speedos with capes may not be in for men, but the whole Grecian-esque look Heady has in 300 is absolutely fabulous!
Other than that, here are some fancy items that can help you look like a sexy Spartan Queen who’s husband is fighting a ruthless army of Persians led under the direction of a gargantuan God-like person named Xerxes.
