A look back on my trunk show at Urban Alchemist

Thank you for Urban Alchemist Design Collective for hosting my trunk show last week at their Park Slope Brooklyn store! Love the atmosphere of the store and the folks are sweet, the merch are great, I had fun selling my jewelry and buying things there!

This great boutique is a local favorite for the past 4 years, featuring designers and artists around the country. The store owner Imaan is a loving mother and a talented mixed media jewelry designer too! And her husband Jeff personally selects the vinyle LP collection in the store. Store Managers Tara and Eric runs a cool T-shirt company called The Fencing & Archery Printing Co..

Check out Imaan's jewelry brand, Eswera Jewerly. On top, Alison Corrie's Stuffed Animal Collection. The aligator and dodo are the only 2 left. Almost took home the aligator! 

We're Wolves T-shirt design by Fencing & Archery

Recent hot items in the store belongs to one of the store's coop member, Zsuzsanna's Roots In Rust.

There are some other great finds too! The great Swan ring and the silver Rhino ring are created by Melany. And check out some of my other shots below.

Ceramic necklaces 

If you are in the neighborhood, visit the lovely Urban Alchemist, a door away from the corner of 5th Street and 5th Avenue, Brooklyn! They open noon-8pm from Tues to Sats, and noon-6pm on Suns ;)

Meet me this weekend in Park Slope!

Date: November 10-11, 2012

Time: noon-8pm

Location: 

Urban Alchemist Design Collective

343 Fifth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Tel: 718.499.0758

Urban Alchemist Design Collective offers an eclectic mix of work by independent designers. It has soon became a Park Slope neighborhood fav boutique since its opening in 2008.

I will bring entire collections from Harlequin&Lionhead, including great statement pieces not available on my Etsy shop. Limited quantity only so come early or they are out.

Another November event I will be in is The 1st Annual Beat-the-Crowds Handmade Holiday Happening presented by Two Fair Ladies on November 17. Are you ready for some holiday shopping? Leave a comment below ;)

On Trend: Femininely Gothic Fall/Winter 2012/13

With the chilly months moving in on us we look to warm up with thicker clothing, like knits and heavy coats. Staying up to date with trends is ideal for any fashionable gal, and this fall winter 12/13, it is all about the gothic vibe. Gothic inspired many collections and has become a key trend this season. Leather, velvet, and lace are the fabrics most used to convey this darker mood, and are definitely on trend. When going for the gothic trends opt for long silhouettes, and of course, the color black. Remember Roccobarocco’s collection that featured a stunning fitted knee length dress with a white collar and cross? (see above) This look is the perfect example of femininely gothic. The dress had a body conscious fit, yet still classic and sophisticated with the stark white collar, cinched belt, tights, and heels.

Harlequin&Lionhead features many pieces that will fit well into this gothic trend. While you don’t want to go overboard with accessories, for fear of looking like a vampire, keep things simple, and bold. The piece that I would like to mention is the gold plated Rose Bouquet Ring from Harlequin&Lionhead. This ring works amazingly for the gothic trend because roses are a classic symbol of the gothic era and this ring brings that beauty, in a colder way. The beautiful cocktail ring infuses a romantic feeling with old world charm, and works perfectly with the darker clothing this season. The ring comes in oxidized sterling silver, as well as pink silver, which has a lovely hue close to the more popular rose gold color. The ring is bold enough to make a statement and compliment the gothic trend well, while still being delicate and feminine enough to keep the romantic edge.

Accessorizing the Military Trend this Fall/Winter

Fall has arrived! As we switch gears from our summer wardrobe to fall, we’re faced with some new fall/winter trends. The military look is making its mark once again, with the emphasis on strong structured blazers and trousers. A beautiful blouse in olive, with a black leather collar, was seen in Jason Wu’s collection, and Belstaff featured a stunning pea coat adorned with metal detailed buttons. This structured look was seen in various runway shows for fall/winter 2012, and the same question always arises, “How does one accessorize these looks?”

Accessorizing pieces that have strong lines, such as blazers or pea coats, takes just as strong of an accessory to make the look flow. Harlequin&Lionhead has many complimentary pendants, necklaces, and rings that fit well into this seasons most trendy garments.

One of which is the Large Heart pendant from the Whirls Collection. This is a statement pieces that will add that final touch to your winter wardrobe. Alexander McQueen’s Horn of Plenty inspired the pendant, molded out of clay, and then cast in brass. The pendant presents two feathered wings forming the shape of a heart; the back is hollowed out, reveling a lovely heart chamber inside.

Keep in mind a little goes a long way. Make sure not want to over accessories this fall/winter. Try to find a strong piece to work into your look, and let it be the key addition. With the military look you want to keep your accessories to a minimum, but bold and upfront! 

Introducing our guest blogger, Reese Herrick

Reese Herrick, the Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director of CHAOS Magazine will be my guest blogger in a series about fashion and accessory and gifting tips for the fashionable. The series kicks off tomorrow and will be posted every other Thursday. So subscribe to the RSS feed now!

Reese is also a fashion stylist and an art director who splits her time between SF and NY. Known for her edgy and raw aesthetic, she has worked with various photographers in both US and Europe, as well as their top modeling agencies. 

I am very excited to have Reese here on my blog! A round applause and come back tomorrow to see her first post!

Also, remember to sign up for my mailing list on the left hand side of the blog to receive a 10% off your first purchase ;)

Fashion Trend Update - Fall2012 / Spring2013

Image credit: http://newagexbrainwash.com

If you have read my trend summary from earlier this year, you will see that the early prediction for Fall  has become a guide for mainstream commercial fashion and some of these trends may have already taken over your wardrobe. And a lot of it are here to stay for spring 2013!

First off, a recap of Fall must haves:

1) Silhouettes - iron lady (update - suits, peplums are still here, adding full skirts now, restraint elegance, specifically buttoned up or closed colars), modern military, global aristocrate, chic sportsman (sportswear rules!), matrix PLUS roomy 20s and 80s jacket and slouchy pants look (updated)

2) Materials - FUR, or rather faux fur! (update) Leather, ultra-feminine lace, velvet, AND lots of jeweled embellishments! (updated)

3) Colors - Stark black and gold contrasts, white, burgundy and LOTS of RED

4) Patterns - (updated) Opulent floral patterns are more romantic and dark. Also latticework or tiled toned down smaller patterns on suits, coats and pants. Symmetrical images or geometrical shapes creating curvy illusions

From top to bottom, left to right: Balmain, Rick Owens, Givenchy, L'Wren, Jason Wu, Dolce&Gabbana,  Max Mara, Lavin, Giles

Where do I get a good look at the designers examples of these trends:
HarpersBazaar.com
Elle.com
NYMag.com

Where do I get a good how-to-wear guide of some of these trends:
Instyle.com


Then a quick snapshot of Spring/Summer 2013 from the ongoing NYFW:

So far it is a bit sedated compared to the popping colors of the previous SS collections. There are some colors here and there but used quite strategically in the shows. Seems like it is all saved for the crazy nail art! Ok, here are some key highlights so far...

1) Tough romanticism (or BDSM inspired) leather and lace (really?!)
2) The Jazz Age is here to stay
3) Sportswear
4) Globe Trotting (it kinda faded out in the fall, and I'm not exactly sure if I like the latest DVF collection so you decide...)
5) African influence in color
6) Black fading into blues, coral, and nude
7) White
8) Flowers
9) Color blocking and geometry

From top to bottom, left to right: Tibi, Tracey Reese, Giulietta, Prabal Gurung, Helmut Lang, BCBG, Lela Rose, Rachel Zoe, Calvin Klein

Where do I get a good look at the designers examples of these trends:

HarpersBazaar.com

Elle.com

Where do I get closeups and goodies about NYFW:
Go to MBFW Facebook page!

More to come after the FW and remember, you can watch it from the comfort of your desk (no tickets required!) on the Fashion Week youtube channel!

And I'll be putting together my new collection pinterest boards soon. So go check it out later.

Fashion's Night Out 2012 trunk show at Henri Bendel!

Thank you all for coming to my FNO trunk show at Henri Bendel last week. It was a blast and I am excited to have met all of you. At the trunk show there was a sneak peek of what is to come for the fall. The new addition to the Rose and Whirls collection got some excellent feedbacks and I will be releasing more info on those shortly! Thank you again for the generosity of Henri Bendel and I hope to be back soon for a fall trunk show. Love you all~