I love it when the Footwear News asks the buyers their opinions of the collections. I’m always interested in what the buyers/retailers think of the collections. For the last few seasons I’ve been posting about shoe buyer’s feelings on the show. Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 is no exception. New York
Shifts in Buying Strategy:
“We are absolutely growing our budget and getting behind the point of view that we represent in the stores.”
Liz Rodbell, EVP & GMM of apparel, accessories, shoes & cosmetics, Lord & Taylor
Strongest Trends:
• Military- and utility-inspired boots
• Laceups and ankle booties on a wedge or platform
• Oxfords and suede platforms
Ones to Watch:
“Key designers to watch are Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs and Max Azria.”
Shifts in Buying Strategy:
“Our buying strategy remains consistent. The market looks very strong for fall, and the trends are well represented.”
Tracy Margolies, VP & DMM of shoes, Saks Fifth Avenue
Strongest Trends:
• Boots in so many options: mid-shaft, tall-shaft, over-the-knee, thigh-high
• Detailing, with exposed zippers and laces
• Leopard print
Ones to Watch:
Camilla Skovgaard and Alexandre Birman
Davinia Wang, Owner, Edon Manor, New York
Strongest Trends:
• Basics
• Chunky, wooden stacked heels
• Heavy detailing and fabrics, moving away from plain and patent blacks
• Deep beige, cognac, burnt oranges and yellows for the winter
“Must-Carry” Styles from New York:
• Alexander Wang’s amber/brown, chunky, stretch ankle boot
• Joseph Altuzarra’s black, lace-up, over-the-knee boot
• Proenza Schouler’s moccasin-inspired wooden platform
Ones to Watch:
Joseph Altuzarra, Céline and Ohne Titel
Shifts in Buying Strategy:
“With the shift in the economy and people’s expectations, it’s important to add variety in my designer mix. As a boutique, I have to offer more without sacrificing my high-end vision. I have also been harder on my best-selling designers, like Givenchy, in terms of quality for the price. Many high-end designers are making [lower-quality] shoes and for [the same] high prices. So customers will tend to go for the contemporary designers for a cheaper price point but to still get a dramatic, runway-style shoe.” (source)
Milan
Linda Fargo, SVP of fashion office and store presentation, Neiman Marcus Group
Strongest Trends:
• Head-to-toe fur, including fur trimmed boots lined with shearling, or full-on fur boots
• Wedge boots and booties
• Distressed leather motorcycle boots, a bit tarnished and worn in
• Delicate and lady-like shoes
• Over-the-knee boots, which are coming in every fabrication: leather, suede and shearling, from right above the knee to thigh high
• Boy-meets-girl styles, including oxfords, loafers, man-tailored, good-year welted construction boots and lug soles
• Colored patent, particularly on the lady shoes from Prada and Miu Miu
“Must-Carry” Styles:
• The lady shoe at Prada
• Over-the-knee boots at Gucci
• Fendi’s duck boot
Ones to Watch:
• Prada
• Fendi
Barbara Atkin, VP,Fashion Director, Holt Renfrew
Strongest Trends:
• Masculine: loafer styles, lace-up oxfords and brogues
• The feminine shoe, from pumps to T-straps and ankle straps
• The sporty lace-up with varied heel heights in a variety of fabrications, from leather and suede to velvet, with capped or open toes
• Boot leggings in a second skin, or a printed leather, a neutral or richly colored suede
• Open-toes with a wedge or high heel
Todd Hanshaw, DMM, Wynn Las Vegas
Strongest Trends:
• Texture, whether from layering suedes, multimedia or fur
• An amazing amount of work on the heels, creating new and different lines to the heel (for example, the candle wax heel from Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte)
• Feathers
“Must-Carry” Styles:
• Over the knee boots, from the extreme at Azzedine Alaïa to the more conventional at Brian Atwood
• Daniele Michetti’s [mirrored] spectator pump with napa trim and croc toe
• Nicholas Kirkwood’s leather and lace platform bootie
Ones to Watch:
• Chrissie Morris
• H Williams
• Charlotte Olympia
Buying Strategy: “Our buying strategy remains the same as far as searching for new talent and special items. However, we absolutely are growing and investing more with the vendors we have a strong history with. It really is a great shoe season. There is a lot of creativity out there and, especially in Paris, a very good energy and strong collections from many.”
Tracy Margolies, VP & DMM of women’s footwear, Saks Fifth Avenue
Strongest Trends:
• Lace-up boots
• Fur/shearling boots and booties
• Clog bottoms
• The return of the classic pump, especially with a pointy toe
• New exotics, such as frog, lizard and stingray, especially in colors
“Must-Carry” Styles:
• Fur boot
• Classic pump
• Blue, green or purple
Ones to Watch:
• Alexandre Birman
• Chrissie Morris
• Daniele Michetti
• Diego Dolcini
Jeffrey Kalinsky, President, Jeffrey New York and Atlanta
Strongest Trends:
• The lack of the shoe. Footwear is really a bootie or a boot.
• Heights are either high or flat, with not many choices in between
“Must-Carry” Styles:
• Givenchy patent leather lace-up bootie
• Thigh-high Louboutins
• All the footwear choices at Lanvin
Buying Strategy: “Footwear prices seemed expensive to me again for fall. It’s becoming more and more challenging for brands to find ways to keep their quality and their craftsmanship while maintaining retail [prices] that make sense to the consumer. There is some real opportunity out there for the brands that can figure that out.”(source)
Didn’t get a chance to attend Philip Sparks’ Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 show? Well they have produced a great runway video of the show that includes close ups of the outfits.
I’m an unabashed Philip Sparks fan so it’s pretty hard for him not to please me. I love the Philip Sparks sailor and what great models to represent him. The presentation format was excellent. I like the half runway half installation idea and it was a nice change up. The attention to detail is always excellent and the Burroughes Building once again served as a fantastic backdrop.
I was so happy to see my favourite model David C from Elmer. The last time I saw him I was at Elmer Olsen’s Christmas party. David was going to Europe for the men’s collections. I told him I hoped to see him on my computer screen. I nearly spewed coffee over my monitor when he turned up in the Alexander McQueen fall 2010 collection. Holy Shit, David walked McQueen. I later found out that David also walked for Emporio Armani. He showed me a picture of him and Giorgio Armani on his blackberry. It was so adorable.
Harry Magazine, the award-winning publication by Harry Rosen Inc., will feature one of Canada’s top all-time athletes, Steve Nash – Phoenix Suns point guard and a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player – on its cover and in a six-page feature and photo spread in the Spring 2010 issue, being mailed today.
I have a weakness for Steve Nash. I didn’t know it when I first saw him years ago. I was a huge basketball head. I played in high school religiously. I loved amateur ball and March Madness was my thing. I thought about trying out for York U’s team but decided to do Track and Field instead. I became a licensed referee during my last year of high school and did that for a few years. I still remember my little black and grey outfit, black runners and my Fox40 whistle. Rounding out my basketball knowledge resulted in learning the table, the scorekeeping table. I’ve performed all the jobs on a standard setup: timer, scorekeeper and statistician. The hardest job was the statistician by far. You really had to pay close attention in that position, there were no breaks. You recorded things like shot placement, shot percentage, fouls and free throws as the game was moving . During stoppages of play you were still recording. In the old days, you had a piece of paper where you would draw the stats by hand. By the time I finished doing scorekeeping there was a touch screen computer with wired pen to enter stats. This is in the early to mid 90s.
I used to do scorekeeping duties for games that would involve the Canadian National team. I think they were part of this North American basketball league in which the Canadians were playing. This is where I first saw Steve Nash. He was young and I have to admit I didn’t think much of his playing. How was I suppose to know that 10 years later he would be running the NBA like no ones business and so turn out hot. I think it’s great and he’s great.
So, I wrote this post mostly for a reason to put up a photo of Steve Nash and to let you in on a little Anita History.
There is always a place for Rick on I want – I got. The Rick Owens Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 collection added some new elements: zigzag prints and geometric horn appliqués. The collection is very warrior like an urban warrior.
The only things I’m not all that jazzed about in the collection are the down wrap jackets.
Buy Design is my favourite fundraiser of the year. It really is the one that is closest to my heart. I’ve participated in two advertising campaigns for Buy Design and it’s always a great party. I love an excuse to play model and get my make up done.
Buy Design Spring Social is Windfall’s seventh annual dress up party!
On Saturday, April 10 at 8 pm, The Fermenting Cellar in Toronto’s Distillery Historic District will be transformed into a dirty thirties fundraiser featuring a mess hall auction, croquet and badminton lawns and a swinging dance hall tent. Sip sidecars, sours and planters punch and parade across the big band stage in the boater pageant. Throw darts at the Beauty Balloon Buster game and sample brown-bagged bites from the country fare stands and bake sale.
Hosted by TV and fashion personality ADRIAN MAINELLA.
Nella Bella Spring 2010 Handbags - Fiji (left), Vienna (right)
Last season I talked about Toronto based Nella Bella handbags on I want – I got. I posted about the Nella Bella Fall 2009 Handbag collection. I visited Tarek, Nella Bella owner in his studio to get a look at the Spring 2010 collection up close. Of course I had to take pictures with all the bags.
Nella Bella Spring 2010 Handbags - Riviera clutch
Spring 2010 focuses on neutrals like black, brown and creme. However there are spots of colour with the acrylic dipped cotton prints, bright canvas, and vibrant pink PU materials. All the bags come with different colour options. There are a lot of the classic shapes from previous seasons like the London bag and the popular Vancouver gym tote, which always gets Tarek smiling when he sees them on the street.
Nella Bella Spring 2010 Handbags - cabo (left), Rio (right)
Some of my favourite styles include the Riviera clutch which also can double as a full bag with straps, the Vienna satchel, the liquid metal looking Stockholm messenger and the Rio. I fell in love with Rio on first sight. It was solidified when I touched the soft fabric. It was similar to suede in texture. Tarek was watching me drool because he handed me the Rio sample in cream snake as I was leaving. The sample differs from the production version because of the black straps and magenta accents. The strap is white on the production handbags and the magenta accents were dropped.
Capezio is now carrying the line. The first two photos in the gallery contain the styles available for purchase there. Handbags range in price from $80 – $150.
Posted by geekigirl on March 17th, 2010
Posted in Category: del.icio.us
Posted in Tags: del.icio.us
del.icio.us fashion links for March 17, 2010:
MediaPost Publications Gen Y Will End Luxury Drought — In ‘20 03/12/2010 While there are plenty of signs that the luxury market is bouncing back, the last two years have permanently altered America's relationship with the luxe life, says Pamela Danziger, founder of Unity Marketing. Baby Boomers perceive themselves as less affluent — and less materialistic.
Luxury Brands No Longer in Demand in Russia – Pravda.Ru Decrease in demand for products of Luxury, Premium and Upper Middle segments in Russia in 2009 amounted to 15-20% (in Rubles), which is equal to the drop of 40-45% because of the exchange rate difference. Most luxury operators had stopped their expansion and focused on the development of their existing projects in large Russian cities.
More or Less What does it mean to eat normally? Model Kim Noorda records her struggle to feed her body and soul.
