Fad*ish- fashion and design

*Where to buy:

Labels: Decor

If you were to take a look at Burberry’s recent advertising campaigns, the famous London-based brand would seem to appeal only to young, hip, garden-privy socialites. This is a far cry from a company bearing the royal stamp of approval, and an even further cry from its Basingstoke, Hampshire beginnings. After further investigation -- once you have stripped away the rainy-chic ads, the glamorous runways, its hot new creative director Christopher Bailey, and of course those countless music videos where sexy vixens wear their signature trench coat and naught beneath -- Burberry boils down to it’s polished customer base, who is as classically lined as its signature check. Being a Burberry woman without breaking the bank, is difficult but not impossible; let’s take a crack at it.

That Famous Coat. No company has yet mastered the art of imitating the Burberry raincoat within a moderate price point. Some might say London Fog has made clever strides through the years with their fortuitous brand extensions, but it still doesn’t hold the same weight as Burberry -- just has ‘London’ in its name, really. Others might say the same USA born Burberry wearer, might also shop at Brooks Brothers, especially in the recession, but chances are she or he is still dusting off their Burberry heirloom when it starts to drizzle. With all that said, if you really want the Burberry look, you are going to have to buckle down, and just buy the damn coat.

On top. Clean, well-woven and natural fabrics. This is the part where you take all those spandex infused skirts, with all their promises of non-ironing and stretch appeal, and toss them right into the garbage. Nothing says ‘I have money’ like 100% -- even if it is not Egyptian-- fabrics that come from a tree or plant: like flax, cotton, or bamboo. Pick one in any natural shade of plant dye, and play with the many silhouettes. Some might go more conservative, but I am selecting Single Needle Tailoring’s “Groover” top available at Bloomingdales for $113.

The bottom half. It doesn’t have to be tailor-made, but it does have to have structure. Pick fabrics that you would wear to your country estate -- imagine, if you don’t already have one. Fabrics aimed to keep warm, or accompany you with your foxes and hounds. Heavy or napped fabrics (tweeds or good quality corduroys) will give any shirt, no matter how frilly, an ounce of conservative credibility. I chose a pair of cropped pants from Benetton’s fall 2009 collection (price available in stores).

If the shoe fits. Is there Burberry etiquette for shoe height? These days I doubt it. But no matter how high you heel yourself, the style is the most important thing. Keep your colors anything from cool neutrals to black, and a pair that requires laces, is always a nice touch. Surprisingly, TopShop’s Amber Crepe Sole Platform Boot fits the bill at $170.00.

My last tip would be not to tamper with perfection. Have you ever seen a Burberry ad campaign where the models were accessorized to the max? No. That is because in Burberry-land less is more. Other than a chunky knit muffler, a checkered or plain scarf, or a pair of opaque stockings, this look is an accessory free zone. You don’t need bells and whistles to pull off it, you need the right attitude. If you walk into a room with an air of sophistication, few men will deny you your cup o’ tea and sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

Labels: Style

If you know me, you know I am far from having locks that are gold -- they are not even pewter or brass -- yet I found myself just as betwixt and bewildered as the young lass, who snuck into the bear's home in search of comfort, only to be met with choices of three. My ‘bear’s house’ was Jamin Puech, and though there wasn’t any porridge, chairs or beds to choose from, there were a multitude of bags -- overly stylish, gaudy to the point of brilliant, absolutely fabulous bags. Overloaded to the point of confusion, the shopaholic in me wanted to buy them all, but then rational reason, and consciousness of my credit limit kicked in. Channeling the rational reasoning of my best friend, known for her innate ability to pick one multipurpose bag, most of the time grey, that goes with everything, I sifted through their fall 2009 collection.

Beading, leather and wood accents -- oh my -- I ran my fingers over the ‘Wilda’ hand bag. Medium in size, eclectic in taste, this bag had the capacity to hold all of my necessities, while being one hell of an accessory. Just as I convinced myself that I needed it, I thought about my best friend. Other than the fact that the bag was not her taste, it also wasn’t as versatile as I needed it to be. I knew my friend would have scolded me for my poor buying decision, and with that I scurried off to the next bag.

The second bag that caught my eye was ‘Brooke’. Not to be confused with ‘broke’, because one could not be economical and purchase this bag. It was the epitome of chic, with clean, yet soft cowhide lines. This bag was versatile enough to calm the most conservative of people, yet stylish enough to raise an eyebrow. It was about to buy it and build a shrine in its honor, when my friend’s discerning voice once again worked its way into my thoughts. She would say that this bag wouldn’t hold all my stuff, and that I need something with pockets. In my euphoria, I had forgot all about pockets, and the need to hold more than a wallet, lip gloss and cell phone. I needed more than this bag could offer. Maybe another time, I thought to myself as I put the bag down.

I was about to give up hope, when the holy grails of bags shone like a beckon of blessed light up high, on its aloof perch. There it was flawless, sleek and fabulous, with enough style to make a metrosexual blush, and enough pockets to hold all of my stuff. It was the perfect combination of function and form, and would be make the ideal everyday bag. My inner best friend was silenced, confirming the perfection of my selection -- and its name was ‘Blade’.

*ms.b

Additional info:

Walda bag: € 595.00

Brooke Bag: € 435.00

Blade bag: € 595.00

Visit Jamin Puech website for store locations and online purchases.

Labels: Style

I was shopping at Karen Millen in NYC’s Soho, squeezing myself into their slender fit tweed dress from their preview to fall collection, and I couldn't manage to get the zipper up. The invisible zipper was located at the back of the dress, and the sales woman must have heard me muttering obscenities, because she immediate came to my rescue. Once I was zipped in, and after the usual flattery about how the dress was made for me, I asked her how does a single girl manage to zip herself, when the zipper is located in the back. She replie, “well, it is a great way to pick up men.” A great way to make a love connection? I guess coming out of your apartment undone, and strolling up to the nearest piece of eye candy to get zipped up, sure beats any pick-up line I can think of.

Really, in this day and age, why are zippers in the back anyway? It was manageable when well-to-do women had servants to strap ‘em in, but now, when we have matured past Scarlett O’hara, with the burning bra’s to prove it -- how are back zipped dresses practical? From a design’s standpoint, zippers can give you a seamless and flawless front, I get that. And honestly, a cocktail dress looses its punch when there is a gaudy zipper riding the front of it. Even the most inflexible of women can manage a zipper when arrives mid-back, but when it zips up to the neck ones is going to have to pay for contortionist training– and honestly, who has the extra cash for useless skills in the recession?

I ended up not buying a single dress because those that appealed to me were for daytime, and I couldn’t imagine struggling with a zipper before (or after) my morning coffee. It was a shame too, because the dresses from Karen Millen’s collection were absolute heaven, and they fit like a glove. Maybe as spicy autumn draws near my heart will grow warm at the idea of tangling with difficult tweed, but for now, in this unseasonable cool summer, I will keep my heart and my zippers to myself. Check out the new looks at www.karenmillen.com.

*ms.b

Labels: Style

Every time I see a predominantly black collection I wonder about the creative merit of the designer. Are they using an all black palette because they are trying to make some sort of statement? Or, are they compensating for lack of resources? Brilliance or complete lack there of – Alexander Koutney’s collection hath four times rang the black on black bell with its 'ode-to-noir' for fall 2009-10. I am making the attempt to overlook the vampiric appeal, simply because his silhouettes are a successful venture in autumn wonderland.

Let’s face it, adding oodles of volume to a garment is hard to achieve without it looking like a pin-tucked trash bag. So for any designer to make something fashionable with structure in mind, shows that they didn’t just pull out any ole Singer yesterday and decide to design on a whim -- they actually had a bit of training. Koutney’s educational background began in philosophy before branching out into commercial design, which might explain why his clothing aspire to depict emotional states. Hailing from South Africa, via a brief romp in the eclectic streets of London, Koutney’s design sense seems to be more austere than tribal, using more organic shapes than the eclectic patterns one would expect from such a voyage.

Now if I might point out the pink elephant in the room: Koutney’s fall collection remind me of a young (and maybe depressed) Proenza Schouler, though he succeeds in bringing his own flavor to the party bag. His designs are skillfully baggy, surprising sophisticated, and refreshingly youthful -- alla ‘Genny’ from ‘Gossip Girls’ fame. For more information check out his website at www.alexanderkoutny.com.

*ms.b

Labels: Style

Though I am absolutely bored to death with faddish shoes -- like the ‘Jesus’ sandal, which has managed to trickle it’s way down to Target and have an ungraceful death at Payless -- I will never tire of the platform nosebleed stilettos. Firstly, all stilettos, and especially the tight-rope variety, lengthen your legs in ways God hasn’t imagined. Secondly, they make any item look glamorous – even that damn ‘boyfriend’ look, which we must admit doesn’t work on every body type. And finally, there are designers like Guillaume Hinfray, who make you want to abandon all things orthopedic.



Ah yes, to be the strategically placed signature piercing on a Guillaume Hinfray sling back – what stories would I, said piercing, have to tell. Maybe, a bit about my designer’s Normandy roots, or how he journeyed through the world of French Couture and some how landed the upper echelon of Italian shoe manufacturing. It is a mixture of his ‘melting-pot’ background that provides Hinfray with his inspiration. And one could only wonder what part of his background his signature piercing hails from.



There is more to his shoe collection than his beguiling choice of accent jewelry. One could completely overlook that detail, and focus on his otherwise classic sense of design and his fine shoemaking. With names like Johanne, Simon, and Agata, Himfrays timeless pieces are geared towards the urban sophisticate – maybe one with a couple of chains and a ball gag in her closet.


For more on Guillaume Hinfray, checkout his website at www.guillaumehinfray.com.

-ms.b

Labels: Diaries of a Shoe Whore

Can peace and tranquility for your baby be found at the bottom of Laron Algren’s rocker? I would like to think so. One look at his Maloof inspired nanny rocker and any city dweller would be fantasizing about a life where they could raise a child in the city, with all the comforts of country living -- like sharing a sunset or a sweet southern breeze with a fashionable infant nestled in a George et Rosalie ‘Gigoteuse’. This fantasy is hardly likely living in a metropolis where breezes tend not to carry the smells of anything sweet, and sunsets are reserved for those with the hi-rises to afford them.

Laron Algren was introduced to wood working as a child by his father, and after years experience -- which includes: remodeling, construction, renovating and receiving a B.S. in industrial engineering from Wright State University -- he started crafting home furnishings, specifically rockers and cradles. His nanny rocker, made from curly quatersawn white oak, is one of his more interesting pieces, simply because it is a ‘throw-back’ design not often seen in contemporary urban furnishings. Worth every bit of it $5,000 price tag, because like most of Algren’s designs, it is handcrafted. A close second -- and definitely buzz worthy piece -- is his black walnut swing cradle, which retails for about $4,000. Both items can be available in a variety of woods, and are purchasable by contacting Algren himself through his website.

I am pairing the sleek design of Laron Algren with the quirky and imaginative bedding of George et Rosalie . Their full range of blankets and nursery accessories would be a colorful and playful accent to Algren’s clean lines. Though George et Rosalie are located a world apart from Algren -- Paris, France to be exact -- I believe that their styles marry well together. One could, for example, swaddle their newborn in one of George et Rosalie’s ‘Gigoteuse Cirque' (French for circus inspired footed pajama), while reclining in the Nanny Rocker, or decorate their crib with a 'Couverture Guitare' (guitar blanket). George et Rosalie offers eclectic options for outfitting your nursery, and their products are moderately priced between € 65-75 (even less if you happen to catch a sale).

In a world where internet ordering offers you the opportunity to buy a cradle in Ohio and blanket in Paris, there just might be the possibility to create a serene oasis for your infant in the city. Optimism like this may not cure the world’s current economic crisis, but at least it could provide a glimmer of hope for the future.

*ms.b

Places to buy:

*Laron Algren’s Nanny Rocker and Crib

*George et Rosalie Gigoteuse ‘Cirque’

*George et Rosalie Couverture ‘Hibou’

Labels: Decor