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Alia Rajput / August 19, 2009 3:00 pm
Rachel Zoe
During a recent interview with Blackbook, celebrity stylist and reality star Rachel Zoe claimed that she thought she looked awful on the last season of her Bravo show, The Rachel Zoe Project, and promised to tone down down aspects of her appearance like her hair and makeup for the second upcoming season. While that may all be true, it seems Zoe is enjoying at least some piece of her newly minted role as spotlight junkie. In addition to the much publicized second season of her reality show, the stylist debuted her online style newsletter last week called The Rachel Zoe Report and now has just announced her plans to showcase a new collection of accessories at the QVC show during Fashion Week.
The stylist's line, the name of which has yet to be released, will feature "a ton of stuff," according to Zoe. Seemingly stuff includes scarves, sunglasses, statement necklaces, earrings, big rings—all items Zoe claims that every woman should have. The collection will also reportedly feature faux-fur items and embody an air of Studio 54-ish glamour. After the official debut in New York, the items will be available via QVC in early October, both on the network and on QVC.com. And fear not for those of you who still can't get enough of Zoe's whirlwind existence: the stylist recently claimed to be working on a second book which she described as "a wealth of information" on the inner workings of her day to day life. We're just waiting for the words " late night talk show" to be uttered next.
Article Source: newyorkmag, fabsugar
Photo Source: newyorkmag
-Alia Rajput
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Alia Rajput / August 17, 2009 9:30 am
Model Lia Kedebe photographed by Patrick Demarchelier in the special edition Fashion's Night Out shirt
The kick off event to New York Fashion Week, Fashion's Night Out has been steadily gaining speed and has grown to an already enormous proportion with just under a month left to go. The latest count, according to WWD, tops off at 700 participating stores across all five boroughs that will keep their doors open until 11 p.m. during the city wide shopping event. The festivities, dreamt up as a way to get consumers excited about shopping again beyond the typical method of discounting, will include designer appearances, models and celebrities, rock performances, Broadway acts, cook-ins, fashion exhibits, makeovers, style seminars and even sewing lessons to take place throughout the city's store venues. Twelve countries have also signed on to create their own versions of Fashion's Night Out, but the Big Apple remains the biggest by far.
The event's sponsors, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company, the City of New York and Vogue, seem pleased with the progress of the Sept. 10th event. "Little did I think, when the idea of Fashion’s Night Out was first dreamed up this past March during the Paris collections, that we would have over 700-and-counting retailers, designers and brands joining us,” said Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour. “There is so much planned that we could shop till dawn and still not see and do everything.” Executive director of the CFDA, Steven Kolb added, " Fashion’s Night Out is that rare opportunity to meet the person behind the label." The sponsors should also be proud of the event's charity ties; now deemed as the city's largest ever retail event, a strong emphasis is being placed on giving back. Forty percent of the proceeds from a Fashion’s Night Out T-shirt will support The September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. The NYC AIDS fund will also benefit from a clothing drive Sept. 10 to 12 sponsored by IMG at various retail and public locations.
The only thing as sweet as FNO's causes is the endless array of names that will be making appearances throughout the night. So far the dizzying list includes Manolo Blahnik, Thom Browne, Tory Burch, Roberto Cavalli, Francisco Costa, Frédéric Fekkai, Alberta Ferretti, Patricia Field, Carolina Herrera, Tommy Hilfiger, Derek Lam, Nanette Lepore, Trish McEvoy, Isaac Mizrahi, Kate Mulleavy, Josie Natori, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Oscar de la Renta, Narciso Rodriguez, Lela Rose, Rachel Roy, Maria Sharapova, Elie Tahari, Diane von Furstenberg, Alexander Wang, Yeohlee, David Yurman, Lauren Bush, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Cindy Crawford, Lynda Carter, Hugh Jackman, Karolina Kurkova, Liev Schreiber, Stephanie Seymour and Ivanka Trump. Bergdorf Goodman alone will have Zac Posen painting in the windows; designers Peter Som and Cynthia Rowley appearing at a cook-off and André Leon Talley hosting a fashion game with teams led by Donna Karan, Linda Fargo and Robert Verdi. Its like a dream come true!
American Express is creating a Fashion’s Night Out map highlighting the 700 retailers and savings for card holders at stores and restaurants. Payless is providing four Gray Line double-decker buses to shuttle consumers through Midtown and downtown, and Aveda’s Experience Center at Fifth Avenue and West 19th Street will provide pedicabs (!) within a 15-block radius south of the store. And a new Web site, fashionsnightout.com/retailers, lists everything that’s in store for the night so people can choose where to go based on their favorite designer or brand. There are also daily updates on Fashion’s Night Out’s Facebook page and Twitter. Truly, they have thought of everything. So check out the new website for regular updates and additions and if you're like me, you'll start scheming your plan of attack now!
Article and Photo Source: WWD
-Alia Rajput
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Lauren Dimet Waters / February 25, 2009 11:00 am
At this point you are probably as sick of hearing about New York Fashion Week '09 as we are talking about it. So we thought we would end our coverage with a wrap-up of the trends we can expect for next fall. Here are Second City Style's picks for Fall '09 Trends:

Asymmetrical: Carolina Herrera; Leather: Yigal Azrouel; Cape: Behnaz Sarafpour
Trends in Clothing
Asymmetrical dresses for day & night
LBD (The Little Blue Dress)
Leather pants and dresses
High-Waisted Pants
Capes and Capelets
Collarless Coats
Cropped Pants
Super Cropped Jackets
Layered Dresses
Cocoon Coats
Fur Coats


Neon pink: Marc Jacobs; Gold: Derek Lam; Green: Thakoon
Color Trends
80's neon (pink, blue, yellow & green)
Gold
Green
Teal
Deep Blue
Black on Black



Watercolor: Lela Rose; Animal: Tuleh; Plaid: DKNY
Print Trends
Watercolor Prints
Animal Prints
Plaid



Laser Cuts: Chado Ralph Rucci; Ruffles: Jill Stuart; Lace: Narciso Rodriguez
Details
Laser Cuts
Ruffles
Shoulder Pads
Shawl Collars
Chunky Knits
Zipper Detailing
Lace
Sequins



Glamour: Monique Lhuillier; 80's: Marc Jacobs; Seasonless: Carlos Miele
Moods
50's & 60's Glamour
80's Boldness
Seasonless Style (Spring like garments in fall)



Leggings: Mara Hoffman; Necklace: Reem Acra; Legwarmers: Rag & Bone
Accessories
Leggings
Booties
Statement Necklaces
Brooches
Leg Warmers
Check out all of Second City Style's coverage here.
- Lauren Dimet Waters
Photos: NYMag & WWD
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Lauren Dimet Waters / February 24, 2009 10:30 am
Last Friday's NYPost summed up the general malaise of this past New York Fashion Week. It was the 'recession' version 3.0. D-Listers had the front-row seats where A-listers used to sit. In fact, the A-list crowd was in pretty short order. McDonald's 'McCafe' coffee replaced Starbucks, and goody bags were filled with Nasal Spray instead of MAC cosmetics or missing altogether (which is fine by me).
Hopefully Fashion Week will turn back around when the economy does, but the air in the tents was rather sad. This past New York Fashion Week just wasn't what it used to be. Now former hooker Ashley Dupree and sex tape celeb Kim Kardashian had the photographers abuzz. Additionally, in the past celebs were paid thousands per show…now they attend for a few thousand bucks of free clothes. It is rumored Paris Hilton showed up for free airfare and hotel accommodations and $5,000 of free clothes per designer. How far we have fallen.
Source: NYPost
Photo: Racked.com
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Lauren Dimet Waters / February 24, 2009 9:30 am



Shocking Pink: Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Michael Kors



Bright Green: DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Custo Barcelona



Highlighter Yellow: Michael Kors, Tibi, Marc Jacobs



Electric Blue: Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Cynthia Rowley
The 80's are back! At least the color palette is. For Fall '09 get ready to see a profusion of 80's neon colors like electric blue, shocking pink, highlighter yellow and bright green. Obviously it is best paired with the black you already own and hey, try to avoid the matching 80's hair and fingerless gloves OK? It's a modern twist…not a flashback.
- Lauren Dimet Waters
Photos: NYMag
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Lauren Dimet Waters / February 23, 2009 4:11 pm
Allison with Rachel Zoe
1. What was your favorite show?
Favorite show? Jill Stuart. I would have walked away wearing every piece she sent down the runway. The floral detailed fedoras were also to die for. Favorite presentation? Marchesa. I think it goes without saying that those gowns were some of the most stunning I have ever seen.
2. Which collection surprised you the most, in a good way?
Jill Stuart. I've seen her clothes, but to see an entire collection grace the runway like it did, was even better than I expected. Absolutely gorgeous.
3. Which collection was the worst?
Well, I don't know if it was the worst, but Cho Cheng was definitely the most humorous. It was entertaining to see the collection he put out. It was all very circa 1995. Not the best.
4. Which collection were you most excited to see, but were let down.
Milly, probably. Since I'm an avid shopper of the label, I was expecting more color and frilly, girly things. It was a good show, just not as great as I would have liked it to be.
5. What was the best swag you got?
The full size bottle of Badgley Mischka's new perfume "Couture' wasn't too bad. And the $25 gift card to Gilt Groupe was also a perk.
6. What are your favorite trends for Fall '09?
Everything girly I always love — ruffles, bows. Also, exposed zippers I think are really cool. Especially on pieces that are lady-like. I loved when a model would walk down the runway in something so pretty and elegant and then turn around and you see the hard metal – definitely adds edge to something that is really lovely.
7. What was your favorite fashion week moment?
Probably sitting second row at Phillip Lim. The front of house people I think assigned me to someone else's seat and I totally got away with sitting there! Oh, and meeting Rachel Zoe was definitely my best moment!
8. What was the worst thing to happen to you all week?
Not being able to take advantage of a lot of the fun events going on after the shows. Since I had to leave early to commute back out of the city, I feel like I missed out.
9. Best piece of Fashion Week gossip
Sitting behind Miss Jay Alexander and hearing him bitch about the models "needing a sandwich." Pretty classic.
10. Favorite celeb sighting.
Rachel Zoe, obviously. She is so glamorous, I love it!
-Allison Merzel
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Lauren Dimet Waters / February 23, 2009 3:00 pm
Lauren with Reem Acra
1. What was your favorite
show?
Narciso Rodriguez. What can I say? I love him. I also really liked Reem Acra and Carmen Marc Valvo's presentations. I'm a sucker for beautiful gowns and evening wear.
2. Which collection surprised you the
most, in a good way?
Yigal Azrouël. I could wear every piece in his collection. It was the only one I could say that about. Am I the only person who missed Ashley Dupree in the front row? I was probably on the same side she was and missed her. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
3. Which collection was the worst?
Judging by the photos I would have to say William Rast. But, Becky saw that show. I did not. The worst one I saw? For me it would have to be Carlos Campos. More that I had to stand for an hour to be trampled on my way to a seat. The show started an hour late and it was just too severe and masculine for my taste. In all honesty though, I was inn a pretty bad mood by the time the show started.
4.
Which collection were you most excited to see, but were let
down.
For me it was Vivienne Tam. For two reasons. I high-tailed it all the
way to Soho to walk into a packed room and could not see any of the
fashions since the models were on the same level as the crowd and
nobody was moving. I lasted 5 minutes and left. When I was able to
finally see the clothes in photos, I was not overly impressed. I love her Spring '09 collection so this was a let-down.
5. What was the best swag you
got?
Not the Barbie bag, that's for sure. I can't believe someone sold it on eBay for $50! Without the lame swag. Actually with it it probably would have sold for $5. I am going to have to sell mine. Becky is right. I am not about the swag. However, my full-size bottle of Narciso Rodriguez's new perfume 'Essence' is my favorite by far. I have not stopped wearing it since I got it.
6.
What are your favorite trends for Fall
'09?
Oddly, a lot of last year's trends are returning again (more on that later). My favorite new trends are blue dresses and laser cuts. I am also thrilled to see leather make a return in a major way.
7. What was
your favorite fashion week
moment?
Hmmm. Well I would have to say walking into Carmen Marc Valvo and him remembering me (or at least pretending to) from my Neiman Marcus couture career. Then meeting and hanging out with really cool people at his presentation. Then I left that show to go to one of my worst…Vivienne Tam. Amazing how things can change on a dime.
8. What was
the worst thing to happen to you all
week?
While I was waiting to go into Narciso Rodriguez I sat down on a seat in the tents to check my CrackBerry. I looked up and happened to notice a lot of people were drunk. I am not talking tipsy, but loaded. 8:45pm on a Tuesday night at Fashion Week? Come on. Anyway, a minute later some totally sh*tfaced chick just fell over on top of me. She got up and did not say a word. I don't think she had any clue she fell on someone or just had no manners. I was like "Are you serious? Go home." You know the economy is bad when people feel the need to drink all the free alcohol they can in the tents. It's not even that good.
9. Best piece
of Fashion Week
gossip
I heard that when Andre Leon Tally emerged from backstage before Tracy Reese's show there was someone in his front row seat. The PR firm tried to make the person move, but Andre would not hear of it and refused to let them kick the person out. He gave up his front row seat and watched Tracy Reese's show from standing with the regular folk. I have a new-found respect for him. Especially when low on the totem pole editors and bloggers are scamming front row seats, sneaking into shows or coping attitudes when they shouldn't. People need to get a grip. Besides, sometimes the view is better from standing. Especially if you get stuck behind someone really tall (which I always seem to).
10. Favorite
celeb sighting.
I
know too much about celebrities (hey, I'm a huge fan of Perez Hilton) and generally could care less about seeing them. I prefer them from afar like animlas at the zoo. Now meeting a designer I respect, makes me all loopy. That being said, I did love seeing Taum O'Neal at Cynthia Rowley. I was able to forget her recent bad press and focused on the fact I was seeing a Little Darling.
- Lauren Dimet Waters
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Becky Ellis / February 23, 2009 10:00 am
1. What was your favorite
show?
Erin Fetherston. I'm all a-flutter every time I think about it.
Also, the G-Star show was an impressive piece of theater, and every detail–from the music to the lighting to the runway design to model selection–was perfect. And despite my assertion that the women's collection was largely too masculine, there were still pieces I loved and that I'll hunt down come fall.
2. Which collection surprised you the
most, in a good way?
Cynthia Steffe. I didn't have expectations one way or the other, and I was totally impressed. This collection is a great model for my personal aesthetic (even though my personal aestheic is more of an ideal than a reality).
3. Which collection was the worst?
William Rast. Justin Timberlake's attempt to bring the ugly back was an affront to fashion.
4.
Which collection were you most excited to see, but were let
down.
Max Azria.
5. What was the best swag you
got?
I, unlike Lauren, am a total, unabashed swag whore, and I'm happy to risk back strain and slipped disks to cart home loads of free stuff. The gift bag from The Robert Verdi/Schick blogger breakfast was hands-down the highest ranking for both volume and usability: Five Tresseme hair products, three Schick razors (including a newly designed Intuition and the Schick Quatro razor/bikini trimmer–which is awesome), Foot Petals, Sculptz, Ice Breakers Ice Cubes (they rock), Hershey's Dark (chocolate–woo hoo!) and a fan-freaking-tastic candle all packed into an L.L.Bean tote.
6.
What are your favorite trends for Fall
'09?
The little blue dress (it's a good color on me) and, while I don't endorse high-waisted skinny leather pants, I'm excited about all the leather. I'm going to give laser-cut ruffles a shot, too, but I'm not sure I can pull 'em off.
7. What was
your favorite fashion week
moment?
Meeting so many amazing people. I became insta-friends with Charu Suri (founder of
ButterflyDiary.com and editor of
BeautyStat.com) while waiting in line for Erin Fetherston; got to hang out with Brittany, one of the super-cool girls from Lippe Taylor; and had a serendipitous "I keep running into you" connection with jewelry designer
Anna Balkan (whose stuff is gorgeous and totally unique).
8. What was
the worst thing to happen to you all
week?
Waiting in line for the Christian Sirano show for an hour, watching three women doctor their seating cards to jump the line and then getting turned away because the show was full. I was wearing incredibly sexy stilleto boots–the kind of boots that are fine for an evening out, but not made for standing on your feet all day–in anticipation of a date meeting me at parties later that night, and my feet hurt so badly that I wanted to cut them off at the ankle. To add insult to injury–literally–the date flaked.
9. Best piece
of Fashion Week
gossip
Gossip? Who had time to get gossip? I was running around like a maniac all day and passing out as soon as I walked in the door at night.
10. Favorite
celeb sighting.
I know nothing about celebrities. Nikki Hilton and Kate Bosworth could sit down in my lap and I would have no idea who they were. Seriously, I once saw Rhianna on the cover of a magazine and thought it was Halle Berry.
- Becky Ellis
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Kelley Epps-Woods / February 23, 2009 8:50 am
This season's looks for New York Fashion Week Fall 09, wasn't dramatic but more subdued than past seasons. Lots of grey shadows, liner, lashes, red lips and lots of highlighter, were used to create this season's looks. The makeup artist really focused on the eyes, sometimes with heavy liner around the eye, and sometimes very minimum. The long legged models didn't prance the runways with season's past long ponytails, but with this fall's structured hair and sleek sculpted buns, keeping looks modern and chic.
At Michael Kors, Dick Page created the basic smokey eye with grey shadows, stating that they are more "user friendly" than traditional black shades. Pencils, cream shadows, and layering was used to create the looks. Foundation and powder was used for a flawless canvas against the smokey eye, and a hint of blush and highlighter on the cheeks finished the look. Hair was clean, groomed, sleek, and pulled back in a bun.
For fall at DKNY the makeup inspired by the 50's glamour meets modern glam. Thick black eyeliner was used and squared off at the ends, for a more modern look. Lots of mascara was used on top of lashes and bottom lashes were left with just a hint of mascara. Blush was applied on to of the cheekbones, and was finished with a rosy cream blush. Lips were left with a slight stain of color, leaving the look youthful and fresh.
At J. Mendal, the looks created for the fresh faced models, were matte red lips ,and matte eye, that was elegant and chic. Makeup Artist for Bobbi Brown Tanya Cropsey says its a 'timeless classic look". Again, greys and charcoals were used for the eyes for the smokey eye, and "true red" lipstick was applied matte and skin was left bare.
Simplicity was stated at Marc Jacobs. Dick Page described the makeup looks as "fresh face, a bright look – as if girls were coming in from the cold". Cheeks were given a flushed look with highlighter mixed with a rosy bronze shade. Foundation was kept to a minimum. They eyes were only touched with brown mascara and the lips were kept soft, with patted-on red tone.
Rachel Roy's fall's palette was more subdued this season that her collections of the past. It was very minimal. The hair and makeup were equally sleek. Models wore structured bobs created out of wigs, and full glossy black lips. Skin was kept clean and pale to keep the focus on the lips and hair.
Barbie even made an appearance Fashion Week to celebrate it's 50th Anniversary. 50 of the most recognizable designers designed and re-designed clothing for the iconic " Barbie" show, including
Tracy Reese, Tory Burch, Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Diane von Furstenberg, Anna Sui, and Kimora Lee Simmons for Baby Phat.
The Makeup Artist at Barbie painted the models to look like living dolls, with glitter, sequins, rhinestones, and feathers.
Images/Source: wwd.com, nymag.com, gettyimages
Kelley D. Epps-Woods, Beauty Writer
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