Sunday evening tribute

I rarely advocate the buying of any particular item in multiple colors, unless it’s my favorite pens (RSVP and Gelly Roll), or ribbed tank tops. Ribbed tank tops are a truly foundational garment. They’re an easy under-layer to wear in climates where layers matter. They instantly add texture and a pop of color to something basic, and they can be an open canvas to showcase a necklace or serve as the foil for a great cardigan. I even wear cheap men’s wife-beaters as pajamas. Another great thing about ribbed tank tops is that they’re so easy to buy. Once you figure out your size, the only variable is color. The fit is generally consistent among brands, and they’re trend-resistant. Ribbed tank tops are often on sale, so I only buy them when they’re on sale, and I rarely buy one at a time. For a while I was buying ribbed tanks from J. Crew when they were on sale for $10, and I very recently discovered great BCBG Max Azria tanks now on sale for about $12.50.

My first photo-tribute to ribbed tanks tops took place in Tokyo, and was actually a joint tribute to ribbed tank tops and magazines (and in a way, Tower Records):

Unfortunately I don’t have the full-size photos on my mac, but the magazines featured are Rolling Stone, Marie Claire, Surface, Vanity Fair, InStyle, and Vogue Special Collections. I guess at this point I was only wearing 5 ribbed tank tops, but I was obsessed with them nonetheless. The green one has fallen by the wayside, but the rest of them are still in rotation. In the next series of photos are all the ones I own and wear now. My collection has grown from 5 to 12.

note: i found the song “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro very inspirational while composing this project tonight. The background is a print of a painting by Diego Rivera done in 1941.

Not so fast, fast fashion!

Friday night my friend and I went to the mall to see a movie, but ended up at Target instead.  Having taken a fairly major spree on serious things at the mall earlier in the week, more shopping was off limits.  And somehow I ended up buying a gaggle of fun.  And then I read this article that a friend of mine posted to Facebook, and I began to feel guilty about my frivolous purchases.

Fast fashion is coming under fire; first from the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), and more recently from Great Britain’s House of Lords.  There are a lot of valid arguments against it, and personally I don’t believe in fast fashion (but then again, I also don’t believe in wearing shorts, athletic shoes when you’re not exercising, or rubber flip-flops on a daily basis.  I do, however, believe in wearing earrings every day), but I also can’t condemn it.

I wasn’t really moved by the argument of the CFDA.  They recently rallied against chains like Forever 21 because that chain (like others) brazenly copies designs and sells them for waaaaay less money.  It is indeed unfortunate that creative artists who design clothing have no protection for their creations, but the point of fashion is to be spread.  It spreads among designers and it filters out into mainstream culture.  In the autumn/winter 07 shows (which forecast for spring/summer 08) “painterly” prints were a huge trend.  Almost all of the top names – Chanel, Gucci, Dior, etc – showed items expressing the trend.  Instead of a backlash against copycats, word spread to buyers and editors that this was a major trend and clothing should be selected and bought accordingly.  That’s how the industry works.  Designers share the same shapes, the same silhouettes, the same color palettes, the same fabrics, and the same trends.

And if you’ve seen the Devil Wears Prada, you might remember the scene where Anne Hathaway scoffs at the debate over the choice of a belt, and Meryl Streep icily informs her that the choices made by the people in that room ultimately led to the color of her lumpy shapeless sweater purchased from the Gap.  Clearly designers want influence; their livelihood depends on other people wanting what they present.

Why then, is it a problem when lower priced retail stores offer what consumers want at a price they can actually afford?  Should only wealthy women be able to be well dressed?  This might be a news flash for the big-name designers, but most Americans cannot afford to pay $1000 for a shirt, or even $500.  Even for those who can, why does this shirt cost $500???  It shouldn’t.  What’s happening to the fashion industry happened to the music industry.  When the price of goods is artificially high, another party will find a way to produce the same good at a lower cost.  If you inflate the value of what you sell, somebody else will be able to sell it for less.  If you price for exclusivity, an entrepreneur will find a way to make your goods accessible.

There is also an environmental argument against fast fashion, which I find more palatable.  At best, cheap and trendy clothes crowd closets and distract women from what it actually takes to develop style and build a wardrobe.  At worst, these clothes are disposed of and crowd landfills.  Producing these clothes then, is also wasteful, if they ultimately have a short shelf life.  Even some of the longer lasting fabrics are degrading to the environment – and this is something that I haven’t resolved for myself either.  I am a huge fan of a new textile called modal (also called lyocell, tencel or rayon).  It is soft, hangs beautifully, and washes well.  It’s natural, made from wood-fiber, but the chemical treatment of these fibers releases toxins into the environment.  This is more of a macro-argument – how far back in the production chain should we take responsibility?  Is it enough to only buy clothes that will last a long time?  Or must I also know and approve of every step of the production process?

People also like to condemn fast fashion because sweat shop workers in developing countries are paid very little in order to keep costs low.  I’m going to put on my “asshole economist” hat for a second, and defend those sweat shops.  Even though these workers are generally paid very little, there is evidence that these jobs are better than the alternative of having NO money.  So I’m not going to say that low wages are necessarily a bad thing.  It’s easy for people to condemn sweat shops and bemoan how little people across the world are paid, but until people become willing to spend more money on clothes, and show that they’re willing by buying more expensive clothes, sweat shops will not go away, no matter how many people clamor against them.

It’s tough to say “no” to fast fashion.  I have an unfortunate ability to spend a lot of money on clothing, but as a young person who has felt broke most of my adult life (college included) I understand the lure.  I’m happy to spend $75 on a pair of jeans that make the lower half of my body look fabulous, or full price for a pair of well-made shoes that go with everything.  But I’m also still experimenting with my look (and my budget) and even I can’t justify spending the big bucks every time I go shopping.

For young people I think that experimental clothing is just as legitimate as investment clothing.  But in an attempt to find some kind of resolution, I think the cost-per-wear argument is the best way to go.  A while back I bought a beautiful top at Anthropologie because I thought it was perfect – and I had just gotten paid.  I’ve worn it maybe 4 times.  A few weeks ago I bought a purse at Target that I’ve used nearly every weekend since.  Sure, Target is a bastion of fast fashion, but at the end of day that bag was the better buy.

Other related articles:
http://jezebel.com/5040032/we-love-cheap-stuff-but-fast-fashion-is-hard-to-defend
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/us/04fashion.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

PR 3: Menswear!

Heidi & Co. over at Project Runway have really set the bar high for challenges this season. This week the challenge was to design menswear – and not just for any man, for a football player!

At first I felt bad for the client, Tiki Barber, because I didn’t think any of the designers would know what to do. This is a womenswear contest, after all. I of course felt bad for the designers, like this challenge was the equivalent of a hit below the belt. Later, watching the designers I was amazed at how many were struggling. Well, that’s not true. I wasn’t amazed; I felt vindicated that this was an unfair challenge. Relative to any/every other PR episode that I’ve seen, everybody was a hot mess for this one! Not only did Carmen not make a shirt (and get sent home for it), 2 of the top 3 designs weren’t even finished! Kevin pinned his vest closed and Jack glued on his buttons. I understand the judges and producers’ desire to keep designers on their toes, but this went overboard.

At first I thought Kit should have won over Jack because her outfit* looked more interesting to me, but thinking more about it I agree that Jack rightfully won the challenge. Tiki did say his style was more conservative and that he liked details so for him Jack’s outfit was better; although I would definitely like to dress some of the men that I know in Christian’s outfit. It was super creative but still looked good. I was sad to see Carmen go but I wasn’t surprised. While fabric, fit and color choices are crucial to an outfit’s success, craftsmanship and even more so completion, are the number one requirements to not getting Auf’d.

*These aren’t links to each individual outfit. You have to scroll through the looks and check the designer’s name at the bottom to see what belongs to who.

PR, 2: Let Them Have Bitten!

It’s only the 2nd episode and people are already getting emotional. Who are the softies? Ricky, Chris and Carmen.

Ricky was really shaken up about being in the bottom two after the first round of judging and speaking to the camera about his desire to do better, broke into tears.

Chris got weepy upon the entrance of the week’s fashion icon, later explaining that she and her famous show are the reason he moved to New York city.

Carmen, bless her heart, broke down at the moment of truth. When asked by Heidi if another contestant should be kicked off instead of her, her face wrinkled up and tears streamed down.

*

This week’s guest judge was the fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker; the challenge was to design an outfit for her retail line, Bitten. The crux of the challenge was that the two-piece outfits had to retail for no more than $40, necessitating that designers spend no more than $15 on materials. I really appreciated that the designers had to make clothes that could retail in a reasonable range. This speaks to what I think are the two biggest problems in fashion today – prices can be prohibitively expensive, and even when women have money for it clothes are often unflattering to women of larger sizes or less-than-perfect proportions. So fashion is often inaccessible to everyday people – in terms of price and fit – yet designers do little to nothing about it and then complain when people who can’t afford $500 for a pretty top spend $35 for the closest approximation that $35 can buy. Project Runway can be a great platform to address these issues. Case in point, last season the designers had to design for each other’s mothers, which resulted in many a plus-size outfit… and most of the designers failed miserably. And watching interviews from past PR winners it seems as though while the seed money to start a new clothing line is great, these designers still have great difficulty launching a line. I think it’s because their market is already saturated. There are hundreds, thousands of talented designers selling at high-end price points. There are not hundreds of talented designers selling at reasonable price points. But I digress. I really appreciate that the designers had to make clothes that could retail affordably, and when SJP discussed their sketches she made sure that women of all sizes would be able to wear it. As she said, “fashion should not be a luxury and quality should not be a privilege.” Spoken like a true icon.

*

Making his rounds of the work room Tim Gunn advised Christian that his outfit looked too 80s, and Christian said he thought it was perfect… I couldn’t believe that somebody would flat out reject Tim’s advice this early in the competition. As Michael Kors said during the judging, “he did exactly what he wanted.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t what anybody else wanted. I find it interesting that both Tim Gunn and the judging panel thought that Christian (and partner Carmen)’s creation was too retro. Christian is only 21, and so was probably mostly dressed in onesies and matching baby outfits in the 80s. That’s not his fault, of course but that just means that he had a different reference point in his head, as SJP pointed out. They both saw his sketch but were liking it for completely different reasons. As all of the judges and at least half of the contestants are at least a decade older than him I wonder if he will start taking more advice or keep sticking to his youthful guns.

 

The elimination was between Christian, who had a bad design, and Marion who had a bad designer and bad construction – a serious double whammy in the world of the runway. In the end Marion got Auf’d; a decision that didn’t surprise me, and apparently it didn’t surprise him either. Victoria won the challenge, and while I liked her (and Keith’s) outfit I would actually prefer to wear the dress created by Elisa with Sweet P. It was more colorful, more interesting than the drab but well styled tent dress from Victoria and Keith; I understand why she won but I think the judges could have done more to reward creativity and risk-taking.

Project Runway Season 4!

Tonight was the season opener of Project Runway, Season 4. As is expected they put together a cast of visually interesting contestants, complete with at least two (2!) asymmetrical haircuts.

Interesting moments: in the opening montage of video introductions Kevin felt the need to state that he is straight. Is this a first for PR? …in the beginning the contestants had to race to the fabric. Ricky said that he ran “like a Mexican immigrant running to the border.” …once she chose her fabric Elisa wanted to “imbue it with a natural element” and she used “grass stain as a method.” Basically she took really expensive fabric and rubbed it in the grass. Whatever floats her boat. I actually would have liked to see it as a finished product, but I imagine that she probably just ruined the material. …When the 1am deadline was approaching an unidentified male voice (not Kevin) called out “don’t go into the fear box, people! Don’t go into the fear box!”

Simone was the first to go (watch the exit video). The judges had two complaints – the design and construction of her outfit. I agreed with the latter. She presented a nice idea but she wasn’t able to construct it well – and that is often a deal-breaker on PR. In last year’s season opener the first contestant to be sent home had the same issue; she just couldn’t sew fast enough or well enough. That’s a legitimate issue on this show. There’s no space or time to learn how to be a better seamstress. As for her design, I didn’t see a problem with it. Yes, it was simple, but it was also clean and minimalist. It was far less dramatic than most of the other designs, but you could say the same thing of a Jil Sander or Narcisso Rodriguez collection showing against a Marc Jacobs or John Galliano. The color combination on her dress was nice, although I do have to admit – the printed bolero did the rest of the outfit a disservice.

So far my top people are:
VICTORYA - she graduated from the University of Chicago (represent!) and created a beautiful, albeit very restrictive, dress. She is also from Seoul, one of my favorite cities.
CARMEN - she is from Charlotte, NC, and one of the people with asymmetrical hair.
STEVEN - I liked what he created, and not only is he from Chicago, right before Project Runway he worked at the Museum of Science and Industry in Hyde Park!
CHRIS - he created an absolutely gorgeous dark purple dress with a printed collar that tied at the back of the neck. He’s from San Francisco, which is cool, but not as meaningful as if he were from say, San Jose.

I’ll be doing this every week, same that time same that channel. ^_^ Until next time, here are some PR links to keep you busy:
the Project Runway homepage (on Bravo)
Blogging Project Runway
Fafarazzi.com, the PR fantasy game

Seoul: the Play by Play

Day 1: (September 10) The Arrival
I arrived at my hostel in Hyehwa around mid-afternoon… and no one was there. I thought this was fair because I told the hostel owner I wouldn’t arrive until 5, so I just waited outside. And waited. Luckily for me two young people walked up and opened the door for me. Apparently it wasn’t locked – it never was – but it was a push door and I tried pulling it. Even after 5pm the hostel owner hadn’t shown up, but I was fine hanging out inside, intermittently chatting with the young people and looking around small interior. The two people I met were Chinese-Italians, and it was quite pleasant listening to them speak in Italian while throwing in some Chinese here and there; but of course, they spoke English with me. I didn’t have any plans so they invited me to go out with them for the evening. We met up with a new friend of theirs – a Korean whom they had met in China earlier in the summer. We somewhere and had a moderately spicy but incredibly tasty dinner. I thought it wasbibimbap but that’s actually a rice dish. What we had came in two separate hot skillets on the table, and it was kind of a stew made mostly of vegetables but a little meat as well.

After dinner we hit up the Dongdaemun area to see the famous night-markets. It was Monday so one of them was closed, but there was still a lot to see. Even before we entered the official ‘night market’ we passed hordes of street vendors who set up shop after dark. Once inside the night market I was floored – by the absolute ugliness of everything I saw. Really! You’ve heard of the ‘ugly store’ right? Many of us know people who occasionally shop there. Well, this is the place where the ugly store buys wholesale. Walking through was like looking at a fashion train wreck – I was horrified! But I couldn’t stop staring. The prints were hideous, the embellishments garish and elementary, and there was no shape to anything! Another interesting thing – all the merchants seemed to be sleeping in the backs of their stalls; I wondered if they had day jobs as well.

Day 2: Getting to Know Hyehwa
I’m not an aggressive tourist. I don’t like to plan out massive iteniraries and I don’t obsess over seeing every minor – or major – cultural landmark. On this day, however, I felt like I should probably make an effort to do something cultural because I knew I wouldn’t have a lot of time in Seoul. I wanted to visit a castle, a park with traditional Korean houses and the Seoul Fashion Center.  It proved too much for me to handle, as I spent a good deal of the morning wandering around Hyehwa trying to figure out if the Fashion Center was within walking distance, and then wondering which place I should go to first.  I finally gave up and decided to just check out the area I was in.  It turned out to be quite a cool area!

In a last-ditch effort to get directions to the fashion center I entered a jewelry design center/art school building, and discovered an exhibit of a Japanese poster artist.  I got the directions and stayed to check out the exhibit. After exiting I looked down the street and felt pulled to explore it.  There were so many interesting looking shops and side streets to be looked at!  I dimissed my earlier plans and set off on a self-guided walking tour of Hyehwa.  I saw lots of interesting shops, great looking restaurants and lots of small and medium sized theaters.  I also saw a Krispy Kreme – with no line whatsoever!  I felt compelled to walk in, and at that point I wrote the following:

I’m writing at Krispy Kreme because I needed a place to sit down and write.  Also, because I can.  No line!  I’m so thirsty!  Vending machines aren’t everywhere here like they are in Tokyo.  For some reason they gave me a free donut.  That’s awesome cuz I could eat the free one now and save the next for tomorrow morning.  Anyhoo.
Korea.  3.5/5 cars are Hyundai – I haven’t seen any European, American, or Japanese cars.  I’m staying in a really interesting artsy area.  I went to one shop, Rainbow Hall 3, that had some amazing dresses and some interesting jackets.  It looked like a sample sale space and I didn’t see a conventional fitting room.  There wasn’t a fitting room!  And I couldn’t try on the dresses, only the jackets.  After a few wistful glances I left.  I didn’t want to try on the jackets if I couldn’t try on a dress – they would only be a consolation prize and that’s not the kind of tone I like to set for shopping.

At another store – Martha’s Grotto – I bought a blue and silver glitter striped cardigan.  The shop owner discounted it by 10,000 krw (about $10) plus she gave me a free pair of really cool earrings.  A gift!  I should mention that she made up the price of the sweater, I mean, it wasn’t printed on the price tag.  None of the prices were.  We spoke a little Japanese together.  She’s been to Tokyo and likes Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Jiyugaoka and Shimokitazawa.  She also offered me a cookie that her parents brought back from Africa the day before.  She put a sticker to close my bag like in Japan, and even walked me to the door and bowed a few times as I left.

Man I’m thirsty.  Forgot why I felt compelled to sit and write.  On my way!

I made three more notes:
metal chopsticks – restaurants in Korea supply you with reusable metal chopsticks, unlike the disposable wooden chopsticks you often get in Japan.  The wooden ones are much easier to use though, especially when eating noodles.
BK uses real cups! – both Burger King and McDonalds in Korea use real, reusable cups with disposable plastic tops.
can’t buy shoes here either – enough said.

Later on that night my two new friends (the Chinese-Italians) and I met up with a college friend of mine who had recently decided to remain in Seoul for a while.  I didn’t want to stay out late because I had to wake up early for my tour of the DMZ… and when I got back to the hostel there was quite a gathering in my room.  They were nice people so I didn’t mind; they invited me out with them and I declined.  I didn’t want a battle with my alarm in the morning!

NYT – "Before Models Can Turn Around, Knockoffs Fly"

“Before Models Can Turn Around, Knockoffs Fly”

This New York Times article is one in a growing chorus of complaints from American designers that lower-end retail stores are copying their clothing. The Council of Fashion Designers of American (CFDA) is lobbying Congress to extend copyright protection to garments and individual designers are sueing stores, such as Forever 21, who they think have copied their clothing too closely.

I think the designers are being a bit ridiculous. I understand their indignance at being copied but do they think they’re actually losing money? Do they think that the shopper who spent $25 on a dress at Forever 21 was actually going to buy the designer version for $250? Or $2500? The consumer base doesn’t overlap – not even the other way around. A shopper who can and will pay $200 for a shirt doesn’t want the cheap, low quality massed produced version for $20.

Now, I realize that the proliferation of knock-offs could potentially reduce the exclusivity factor. A boutique may carry only 5 of an item while Forever 21 carries 5000 so instead of being the only one on your block to have something, everyone on the train has it. I admit, that kind of sucks. But what would the designers have – 1% of the country looking like class and the rest looking like trash?*

If the CFDA and its designers want to recapture the market they will need a new business plan, a plan which a small handful of designers have already adopted: collaboration. Collaboration. Whether with Target, KMart, H&M or whomever, it can give shoppers the access to designers that they ultimately crave while still allowing designers credit for their work and some degree of control over the quantity that they put out in stores.

At this risk of sounding trite, this is the 21st century and the internet has changed the way consumers interact with producers. It changed the music business, and it will change the fashion business regardless of what designers do; however, if designers stopped whining about being copied they could make the internet and mass distribution work to their advantage.

*That line came from what song, by which artist (female group), popular around 1998/2000? Bonus points for album name.

The truth about Japanese fashion

Do you want to know the truth about Japanese fashion? Here it is:

Pantyhose are IN! in in in in in. Japanese women looooooove them some pantyhose. They wear it every day. Do they wear pants, or even stockings in the winter? No, skirts with pantyhose. When it’s nice outside do they go without? Nope. Open-toe sandals, closed-toe shoes, it’s all fair game. I have even seen a number of women wear hose with long pants and completely closed shoes! Why? As I can often be heard saying in Japanese, wakarimasen (I don’t understand).

The funny thing is, when I wear pantyhose (a must at work) I truly feel like a Japanese woman – like I’m one of them. It’s so universal here that I feel like I’ve tapped into something… that even though I’m so obviously Gaijin I’m just like everyone else on the train, coming home after a full day of work.
*****

Now if only I could maneuver in hose like Japanese women can. I’ve mastered riding my bicycle in work clothes and heels, but I tore my 2nd (of 3) specially imported pair of ‘soft brown’ hose on the pedal of a very nearby bicycle when parking my own the other day. So now I just need to learn the secret of 30s bicycle parking in a crowded lot while wearing pantyhose – before I’m out of ‘soft brown’.

Americana

I was in Kichijoji earlier today, just chillin, ambling towards Tower Records when I happened upon a J. Crew. !!! I was so surprised and so pleased. Gap is all over Tokyo, and I’ve seen a couple of Banana Republics, but this was the first J. Crew. When I walked in it was like a breath of fresh air washed over me. I saw ribbed tank tops! Polo shirts! Twin sets! There were classic collared button-down shirts and madras prints galore.

Now, you’re probably like, wtf Adelle – you’re in Tokyo and you’re that excited over J. Crew?

Well, let me tell you something. While Tokyo trends certainly are interesting, they certainly are not the be-all end-all of fashion. For one, within Tokyo, everyone dresses the same. There are about 4 or 5 uniforms that float around, with little-to-no variation on a given uniform.

• the above-the-knee 3/4 sleeve bubble-hem dress, worn with EITHER a long sleeve turtle neck underneath OR a long sleeve button up shirt trimmed with lace – most often up the placket – and a cropped collar; usually accompanied with knee high socks and embellished pumps or slouch boots and a long multi-strand bauble necklace.

• the tunic with leggings and slouch boots; underneath the tunic is the long sleeve turtleneck or the laced-trimmed, cropped collar, button up shirt; same bauble necklace.

• and the girls who look like whorish Barbie dolls. Lots of make up, super teased hair, short tight skirts, knee high socks, embellished heels, tight shirts; lots of lace and super-girly touches. In America people would assume you’re walking the streets at nights; in Tokyo you’re just going shopping with your friends – in the middle of the day.

Living in the midst of this, I do appreciate American fashion sensibilities. Less can indeed be more, a concept which seems altogether foreign in Tokyo. There is even a segment of American style that is immune to the runway. Browsing both J. Crew and Banana Republic today I realized that there are styles that American stores will continue to offer regardless of the trends. I’m not just talking about basics like ribbed tanks or cashmere sweater sets; or even the concept of preppy. American dressing is often clean, fresh; accented, but minimally adorned. Even on the runway – look at Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren. There is a consistent aesthetic – one reminiscent of preppy but that certainly goes beyond it – independent of international trends. When at times I become numb to the Tokyo uniforms, it is that independence and individuality of sorts that I find most refreshing.

Fashion Week at #606 Claire Fuchu

I just watched the final episode of Project Runway and I feel so inspired. I really liked Laura Bennet’s line, and a few pieces from Uli inspired me as well. Both of the women, Jeffrey and Michael had very distinct points of view. People tend to think of Jeffrey as the most innovative and in many respects he is, but every designer exhibited some innovative characteristics. The prints that Uli tends to use have an inventive spirit. I think Michael did very well infusing his fresh, urban aesthetic with the requirements of the challenges and his clothes always look cool; but the line he showed looks like merchandise that is already on the market, there is nothing inherently new.

When I first saw Laura’s line aired in the episode I thought ‘what great clothes, it’s too bad her aesthetic is for older women, I would love to wear her clothes designed for a twenty year old.’ But when I looked through the photos on Bravo’s website, I realized that she actually did design for younger people, and I think she is arguably one of the most innovative designers from the 3^rd season. I really respect that she had a theme in mind for her show. Although I would love to see her take on casual/sportswear, she does great things for dressy. Within the sphere of evening and cocktail dresses she mixed fun and classy and produced the kinds of clothes that you buy first and then find a place to wear them. While some of her pieces were very much for older women, a number of outfits were in fact, very young. As the judges mentioned, her clothes are ones that you buy and keep for life. A number of things she presented could be aged forwards or backwards with different accessories. Jewelry, bag, shoes, scarves; a number of things can transform an outfit. You can visit http://www.bravotv.com/Fashion_Forward/photos/laura/index.shtml?slideshow=pr3_laura&pic=1#picAnchor to see Laura’s show.

I loved a number of her outfits, but #9 (in the slideshow) was my absolute favorite. It is certainly a young outfit. The use of shorts for the cocktail hour is very now, and the gold cropped jacket with a gold chiffon bow and sash is beautiful. It is the classic, put-together look that Laura does so well, but in a very fresh way.

My second favorite was #3. This is a fabulous little black dress. A halter dress with an empire waist updates a classic look. The upright feathers at the empire waist are fun and flirty and the fringe at the hem adds more playfulness to the look.

#13 is a gorgeous piece that can be transitioned for many years. The black lace is timeless, but the deep-V is daring. The overall silhouette is exquisite and flattering without emphasizing one particular element so much that the piece gets stuck in a particular trend or decade. This is certainly a piece which is always beautiful, but whose age and mood can be influenced with accessories.

***
The winner of Project Runway, Jeffrey Sebelia, said in his exit interview that he would like to use his prize money to start a secondary line that would be available to a mass market. While I am generally not a fan of Jeffrey, I applaud his idea. Project Runway is great at unearthing design talent, but inspired designer clothes can be very difficult for regular people to come by. There are an incredible number of talented and inspired designers out there and I would certainly like to see more of them taking steps to mass produce, and to see more large retailers courting independent designers. Jeffrey’s idea is a good first step, and I hope more people in the industry agree and follow suit.