Branding At Its Best: Eleven Special Items To Obsess Over” y 10 mas

Branding At Its Best: Eleven Special Items To Obsess Over
Street Style: Tati Cotliar Backstage at Jason Wu
Snap Poll: How Much is Too Much for a Gray Sweatshirt?
Best Dressed: Black and Blue Starring Cecilia in Givenchy, Kristen in Prabal, Rachel in Peter and More
Jason Wu: Made for Resort
Quote of the Day: Armed and Dangerous
Job Op: Director of Sales for Loeffler Randall
Love Is Blind. We Are Not. Sad Season.
Explore the World in Palladium Boots
How Sheer Will You Go?
Fashion News Roundup: Daisy Dances, Rodarte’s Breathless, & No Butt-Cleavage in Brooklyn

Branding At Its Best: Eleven Special Items To Obsess Over

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 08:28 PM PDT

The printed tote. The logo tee. These are items that many luxury brands create to keep the public going gaga over their pricier goods. Creating trinkets, tees, totes, and more helps keep brands in the public eye; more people can afford a Marc Jacobs key ring than a collection dress.

That said, a lot of luxury brands’ special items still sell at a high price (see Chanel’s bike), and exist to give a greater meaning to the term “lifestyle brand.”

Either way, there are tons of special items created by our favorite designers that we regularly obsess over and attempt to pool our funds to buy. Click through to see the best of what we think constitutes the “fashionable life.”

Street Style: Tati Cotliar Backstage at Jason Wu

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 03:30 PM PDT

Name: Tati Cotliar

Occupation: Model

Age: 21

What CD are you listening to now? Pink Floyd–The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

If you were to get a tattoo right now, what would it be? Ooh, I’ve actually been thinking about this lately. It would say “floating in space,” which is from a Flaming Lips song.

Where would the tattoo be? On my neck.

What is one item of clothing that you always wear? Stockings!

What is your favorite meal? Well, normally it’s fish, but I love these ginger candies! It’s a crazy fetish!

What is your favorite store in NYC? The Salvation Army…I got this blazer for $7!

**All photos by Ashley Jahncke.

Snap Poll: How Much is Too Much for a Gray Sweatshirt?

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 02:45 PM PDT

I wear a lot of gray and black–a lot of gray sweatshirts in particular.

And there’s one as of late–an Alex Wang Spring 2010 number–that I’ve had my eye on. So I was super excited to find it on sale at Aloha Rag, one of the best boutiques in the city (and online).

It originally retailed for $350 and is currently marked down to $245.

Now, I’ve examined this puppy in person, and along with a kind-of-sexy crisscross back, it’s lined in a silky fabric, which feels very luxurious.

But as big a spender as I am, I can’t bring myself to buy it. I just can’t justify $245 for a gray sweatshirt (even if it is worth that much in fabric, design and labor, which I’m confident this one is.)

So I’d love to know: How much would you pay for a gray sweatshirt?

Best Dressed: Black and Blue Starring Cecilia in Givenchy, Kristen in Prabal, Rachel in Peter and More

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Cecilia Dean is perfection in Givenchy, while Kristen Stewart gets it right with a Prabal Gurung mini-dress. Overall, a cool palette this week. Cooling down for the hot-hot summer, perhaps?

Jason Wu: Made for Resort

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 01:03 PM PDT

The proliferation of full-on resort season runway shows makes me a little uneasy, mostly because it feels like most brands don’t need to put on such an elaborate production to sell clothes. (Which by the way, is the main reason for pre-fall and resort collections. They make up a majority of most labels’ sales.)

Yet there are always a few who lend themselves so well to Resort that it makes sense to do it up. Jason Wu is one of those designers.

To me, Wu is this generation’s Oscar de la Renta, which means that no matter what season he’s in, the pieces are both wearable and in one way or another, extravagant. So each collection deserves similar treatment.

Showing at the St. Regis Hotel for a mix of editors, buyers, and all-around amazing people–including Jenna Lyons and Lizzie Tisch (in a tweed Wu dress and matching pink Hermès Birkin)–Wu’s long mermaid dresses, cute khakis, sparkly shift dresses and little straw hats lit up the runway. (As did his new eye wear collection for Ilori, with which I’m obsessed. I’m this close to buying a pair of the glasses, sans-prescription. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do it.)

But back to the clothes: What I love about Wu is that he makes subtle tweaks to his look every season, each building on the last. While the tulip skirt may appear stale on other runways, it’s still fresh–and my personal favorite–on his. There’s no doubting the socials in the audience made plenty of personal orders today–I even heard a couple of big editors talking about pulling looks for future covers.

Our super-duper photog Ashley Jahncke took a TON of photos–both backstage and on the runway–so enjoy clicking through!

Quote of the Day: Armed and Dangerous

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 12:47 PM PDT

“Just ran down, jumped on top of, grabbed, punched and kicked a guy who ran down the street w my phone. He gave it back. I got applause” – Ali Michael on her Twitter.

Job Op: Director of Sales for Loeffler Randall

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 11:15 AM PDT

We blatantly love Loeffler Randall. If you feel similarly, and happen to be looking for an upper level sales job, this might be the position for you:

Job Description:
Loeffler Randall is seeking an experienced, dynamic, goal-oriented Sales Director to join a fast-growing team. The Sales Director will be responsible for overall management of the wholesale sales department, which includes domestic and international sales of footwear and ready-to-wear. Expectations include achieving sales objectives, maintaining high operational standards and goals, building a highly motivated team and developing account executives to the next level.

Requirements:
Bachelors degree & minimum 5-8 years wholesale sales experience with a comparable brand; strong relationships with major department store shoe & RTW buyers, including high-end specialty shops.

Contact:
Please direct inquiries and resumes to Kristy Hurt–khurt@khurtconsulting.com.

Bonne chance!

Love Is Blind. We Are Not. Sad Season.

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 10:56 AM PDT

Which superstar designer is panicked over weak Fall 2010 sales? Buyers are fawning over the talent’s accessories and diffusion lines, but skipping the main event for the first time pretty much ever.

Explore the World in Palladium Boots

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 10:31 AM PDT

Palladium Boots may be my favorite shoe of all time. I discovered them at OAK years ago, and have been wearing them ever since. The love child of a sneaker and a boot, they are the perfect shoe for city goers, nature lovers, and adventurers of all kinds.

They’ve gotten me through hikes, bike rides, boating, strolls in Manhattan, concerts, fashion week, one crazy trip to Montreal in a snowstorm, and the majority of college. My beloved pair of slate gray canvas Baggy boots is suffering from two giant holes in the heel, but I love them too much to stop wearing them. (Also, I can’t find the slate gray canvas anywhere!)

Since I love my Palladiums so much (I’m wearing them right now!), I decided to find out more about the brand that plays such an integral role in my style. So I interviewed Barney Waters, the company’s VP of Marketing, and found out all I ever wanted to know about Palladium.

Fashionista: Can you tell us a little about Palladium’s brand history? How did the company start and how has it changed?
Barney Waters: Palladium was founded in 1920 in Lyon, France and made aircraft tires. Tires were made by layering canvas bands underneath rubber. After World War II, the demand for tires dried up, and so Palladium decided to put its canvas and rubber expertise to use by making boots. The first contract was in 1947 from the French government to supply the legendary French Foreign Legion. The Foreign Legion at the time was mostly stationed in the North African desert, so they needed a durable and comfortable boot that worked in those hot conditions. As Palladium's boot was canvas, it was breathable in hot weather.

What were some goals with the relaunch of the brand?
The company that previously owned the brand had focused on other shoes and left the classic Pampa boot gathering dust. Our goal was to dust the cobwebs off this iconic boot and breathe new life into it. We felt good that it would be a hit, but you really don't know until it goes up on the shelf. Luckily, the first signs are that people are really responding to the boots.

Palladium has a great history, but what modernizations were made (if any) to keep the brand from simply being another heritage brand banking on its history to sell to new consumers?
In terms of the product, we kept the design the same. It's a timeless classic design that is just as relevant now as is has been over the past 60 years. We re-engineered the rubber sole to make it lighter and more comfortable. Plus, we've updated the materials we use, preferring premium leathers and stonewashed canvas. We've also got some great material combinations coming for Fall '10. From a brand communication standpoint, having an authentic heritage is a major asset, yet I didn't want the brand to look and feel like a museum. Once people know the boot is real, then you have to answer the question, 'So what does it mean to me today?'

How Sheer Will You Go?

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 09:00 AM PDT

Last weekend, I took a short trip to the UK for a dear friend’s wedding. While I was only there for a few days, I made sure to stop by COS in London, simply because it’s the best high street store in existence. (That is, if you’re over 25 and now look absurd in too-trendy Topshop wares.)

I scored with a sheer, greenish-blue button-up, which I wore yesterday to the YSL show with high-waisted black pants and a pair of Heavy Machine heels. Oh, and a black bra, which shone quite clearly through the translucent top.

When I met up with my fiance for food, he kind of chuckled when he noticed that my bra could be pretty easily discerned by other diners in the restaurant. While he was more bemused than anything, he did think it was hilarious that I was cool with showing it off.

Clearly, sheer is huge this summer. And the fact that it’s gotten very hot, very fast here in New York makes it even easier to justify. Just the other day, we were gifted with some sheer pieces from American Apparel, and both Steff and I liked them. Particularly the long chiffon skirt in cobalt blue, which she threw on immediately, and minty green sleeveless button down, which I threw on immediately.

AA also sent us a nude bodysuit to accompany the skirt, so Steff tried that on as well. It looked great, but we both giggled for a while when we realized that, without leggings or even short-shorts, it looked like Steff didn’t have on anything underneath.

These experiments in sheer lead us to wonder: We’ve tested our boundaries, but what about yours? How transparent will you go?

Fashion News Roundup: Daisy Dances, Rodarte’s Breathless, & No Butt-Cleavage in Brooklyn

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 08:06 AM PDT

Daisy Dances: See Daisy Lowe do her best dance moves in her panties for British Esquire magazine. {Fashion Copious}

Hair Master: Models.com talks to famed hair styist Duffy about working with everyone from McQueen to Zimmerman. {Models.com}

Breathless: Rodarte created four tee shirts in honor of the 50th anniversary of the French film. Now you can wear your New York Herald Tribune tee in Paris and feel a little Seberg for yourself. {Style.com}

Part Troix: Another preview of The Selby’s book is up on his site. This one features Lou Doillon, Hirakawa Takeharu, and Nakao. {The Selby}

Get Low: Fashion gets political in the debate over baggy pants. Fulton Street in Brooklyn received a billboard with love from the government protesting saggy and low-riding pants. Brooklynites are not too pleased. {The Moment}

Black and White Beauty: Garance shot Crystal Renn after the Chanel Resot 2011 show. She’s truly stunning. {Garance Doré}