If you live on the west coast the default fashion Mecca is Los Angeles. The scene in San Francisco is pretty fractured and sleepy. There are some great designers in San Francisco but aren't very cohesive so their voice is weak, and there isn't really a cohesive fashion district.
As you continue up the west coast the next stop for fashion is Vancouver, BC (Canada). So the industry has completely disregarded Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. As far as it is concerned those two places warrant no special attention and fashion does not exist. They forget that it is the corporate headquarters of Norstrom.
Oh how wrong they are. Enter Kemper Freeman, Jr. with the fashion vision and a dream to make Bellevue, Washington the next fashion Mecca. For our readers from western Washington, Kemper Freeman is known as a real estate developer. His family almost single-handedly brought a small farming community (Bellevue) into the modern age and made it into a jewel to rival Seattle in terms of culture, shopping, entertainment and industry. So, if you hear someone say Kemper Development it is indeed the same man.
Your question is how is a developer connected with fashion? Well the Bellevue Collection, which includes Bellevue Square, is the shopping destination and should not be missed. Okay, there is Bravern but its only claim to fame is Neiman Marcus. Bellevue Square has so much more appeal. Not only that, it has Fashion Week!!
The people who guard the industry ignore it and say that it is really a series of trunk shows and does not deserve mention. I disagee. Not that it isn't slightly misnamed, but it is a start and will turn into a real fashion week in time. I am convinced that a perosn with vision and drive can accomplish anything.
So, watch out Los Angeles. You will have some stiff competition. You may have celebrity and a fashion district. However, a fashion district is easy to create and celebrity is fleeting. In terms of beauty, style, culture and class, Bellevue just may have you beat. Once you feel Kempr Freeman coming up behind you to steal the fashion ring it will be too late. He will have everything else in place and the only thing left will be grabbing that ring.
Personally, I hope he is successful. How cool would it be to have Mercedes Benz Fashion Week New York AND Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Bellevue?
a la prochaine
Debra
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
And Now To Start
Well it is almost time for the grind to start, yet again. The London Edge is just around the corner to be followed by Pret-A-Porter, Premiere Classe, Who's Next, Fashion Week London, Fashion Week Milan and the star of the season, Fashion Week Paris. And yes, I did leave out all of the fashion salons state side. They are important and all of the European Boutique designers are going to make an appearance at Fashion Coterie. And after Paris, there will be the shows in the east.
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is important and should not be ignored. Every significant American designer will be there and we will pay hommage. But we also want to pay hommage to those who never get the invitations. They too are important in the world of fashion.
If you are interested in figuring out where every single show is taking place check out the site informat.com. If you can't find it there, it probably isn't going to happen. It is a great resource no matter if you are into design, textiles, accessories, etc. This is the bible.
I am expecting some somewhat schizophrenic collections. There have been mixed reports about the economy and its recovery. If times are getting better we are more willing to buy the avante garde piece. If times are leaner, we still want value and longevity. I think that we need to stay with the measured and reasoned choices of the past few seasons.
However, if we get beauty, innovation, style and fashion all wrapped up in one, I can go for that too. So, wait for our updates. We will be bringing them to you as they unfold.
a la prochaine
Debra
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is important and should not be ignored. Every significant American designer will be there and we will pay hommage. But we also want to pay hommage to those who never get the invitations. They too are important in the world of fashion.
If you are interested in figuring out where every single show is taking place check out the site informat.com. If you can't find it there, it probably isn't going to happen. It is a great resource no matter if you are into design, textiles, accessories, etc. This is the bible.
I am expecting some somewhat schizophrenic collections. There have been mixed reports about the economy and its recovery. If times are getting better we are more willing to buy the avante garde piece. If times are leaner, we still want value and longevity. I think that we need to stay with the measured and reasoned choices of the past few seasons.
However, if we get beauty, innovation, style and fashion all wrapped up in one, I can go for that too. So, wait for our updates. We will be bringing them to you as they unfold.
a la prochaine
Debra
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Fashion Before the Crash (and After)
While doing some editing of the fashion magazine collection I picked up the September 2008 issue of "W". As with all of the fashion mags, that is the issue everyone awaits with much anticipation. I was struck by the edginess of the collections. Not just those you expected to be edgy, but even the collections from designers who trend toward the more classic tailored looks. That made me wonder if somehow they sensed that a big change was coming to the world of fashion.
In a couple of weeks the new September issues will be hitting the newsstands along with the specialty collection magazines. It is easy to drop a couple of hundred dollars as you pick up French and Italian Vogue, The Collection, "V" and a couple of the other choice publications. Based on what was on the runways in the spring, the looks will be less edgy and more classic. These will be garments that will stand the test of time and be able to hang in your closet for a long time to come.
There are always the designers who go straight to the edge irrespective of what seems to be happening in the world of fashion. One of those designers is Rei Kawakubo of Commes Des Garcons. She is who she is and one thing is for sure. Rei will never hold back. She is going to take you straight to the edge and leave you there until you decide to turn back or take the leap. Others like Haider Ackermann and Anne Demulemeester gave you edge. However, it was a decidedly sophisticated edge. Many of the items in those collections will work in your closet for many years to come. Some items, like the Ackermann sculptured leather and wool vest will become iconic show pieces that cause people to stop you and ask "OMG where did you get that?!".
In 2008, even Carolina Herrera was on the soft side of edgy with many of the pieces in her collection. In 2010 she brings you back to the really softly tailored feminine side of her collection; and yes, even the Herrera sleeves are back. The Queen of Goth, Anne Demulemeester, was decidely on the edge in 2008. It was an edge I was willing to go to even though my friends did not understand my fascination with this very sophisticated Goth collection. In 2010 I have to say that there are pieces in her collection makeing it absolutely clear that she is the Queen of Goth. There are pieces in that collection that I would suggest to my 80 year old mother. There are a couple of long black coats that are absolutely stunning and in 2025 you could whip them out and take them for a spin around the block no problem.
So even though you are not like all of us here at the fashion project with more fashion magazines than you could ever imagine, you do have access to the 2008 and 2010 collections through www.style.com. Check them out when you get the chance. You will see the stark reality of the impact of the economic downturn on the collections the designers are opting to create and put on the runways.
These changes are a reaction to what we are willing to pay to put clothes on our backs. Three years ago I would not have hesitated to purchase a $4,500 Haider Ackermann vest. But now, even those who can afford to purchase luxury ready to wear want durable garments. By that I mean something that will stand the test of time. No wild colors, no strange cuts, no awkward drapes and certainly no strangely paired prints and plaids. We are talking classic lines, colors and accents to give the ensemble just the right "pop".
Even when times get better economically, people will be searching for value. Gone are the days when we were willing to drop $6,000 on and outfit. So the MSRP's may be droping in order to get retailers to place orders. No retailer is going to agree to continue to pay the mark down fees because they can't move the merchandise at full price.
So stay tuned. More to come on the fashion front regarding price and even what we, the average Jane, will pay to shop at places such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Macy's and even Target.
a la prochaine
Debra
In a couple of weeks the new September issues will be hitting the newsstands along with the specialty collection magazines. It is easy to drop a couple of hundred dollars as you pick up French and Italian Vogue, The Collection, "V" and a couple of the other choice publications. Based on what was on the runways in the spring, the looks will be less edgy and more classic. These will be garments that will stand the test of time and be able to hang in your closet for a long time to come.
There are always the designers who go straight to the edge irrespective of what seems to be happening in the world of fashion. One of those designers is Rei Kawakubo of Commes Des Garcons. She is who she is and one thing is for sure. Rei will never hold back. She is going to take you straight to the edge and leave you there until you decide to turn back or take the leap. Others like Haider Ackermann and Anne Demulemeester gave you edge. However, it was a decidedly sophisticated edge. Many of the items in those collections will work in your closet for many years to come. Some items, like the Ackermann sculptured leather and wool vest will become iconic show pieces that cause people to stop you and ask "OMG where did you get that?!".
In 2008, even Carolina Herrera was on the soft side of edgy with many of the pieces in her collection. In 2010 she brings you back to the really softly tailored feminine side of her collection; and yes, even the Herrera sleeves are back. The Queen of Goth, Anne Demulemeester, was decidely on the edge in 2008. It was an edge I was willing to go to even though my friends did not understand my fascination with this very sophisticated Goth collection. In 2010 I have to say that there are pieces in her collection makeing it absolutely clear that she is the Queen of Goth. There are pieces in that collection that I would suggest to my 80 year old mother. There are a couple of long black coats that are absolutely stunning and in 2025 you could whip them out and take them for a spin around the block no problem.
So even though you are not like all of us here at the fashion project with more fashion magazines than you could ever imagine, you do have access to the 2008 and 2010 collections through www.style.com. Check them out when you get the chance. You will see the stark reality of the impact of the economic downturn on the collections the designers are opting to create and put on the runways.
These changes are a reaction to what we are willing to pay to put clothes on our backs. Three years ago I would not have hesitated to purchase a $4,500 Haider Ackermann vest. But now, even those who can afford to purchase luxury ready to wear want durable garments. By that I mean something that will stand the test of time. No wild colors, no strange cuts, no awkward drapes and certainly no strangely paired prints and plaids. We are talking classic lines, colors and accents to give the ensemble just the right "pop".
Even when times get better economically, people will be searching for value. Gone are the days when we were willing to drop $6,000 on and outfit. So the MSRP's may be droping in order to get retailers to place orders. No retailer is going to agree to continue to pay the mark down fees because they can't move the merchandise at full price.
So stay tuned. More to come on the fashion front regarding price and even what we, the average Jane, will pay to shop at places such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Macy's and even Target.
a la prochaine
Debra
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
