Ladies Who Lunch: Zang Toi Spring 2013!

Fashion shouldn’t be just about getting dressed.  It should be about image, beauty, fantasy and dreams.  Some designers get the fantasy and dreams, but end up taking it so far that it really crosses the realm into costume.  Zang Toi is one of  a very few designers who manage to capture all of these elements while still creating wearable clothing.

Each season, Zang Toi dazzles me with his runway shows and his Spring 2013 Collection show was no different.  Zang brings together a beautiful collection with the perfect mood music and lighting to create a show that is completely mesmerizing.  When it is over, I am left in a half world between the fantasy he has created and the reality of the crowds pushing to get to the next show, a feeling that is very surreal.

Zang Toi’s Spring 2013 Collection was inspired by the South of France and he managed to convey a feeling for France in a style that is feminine, sophisticated and extremely romantic.  The looks that graced the runway called to mind classic Christian Dior Haute Couture, but in a modern 21st Century way.

The elegant lady like silhouettes were created with luxe fabrics from some of the finest textile manufacturers in Italy and France including pinstripe and tweed suiting, silks and a gorgeous print from the renowned Italian company Ratti.  While Zang always has some color in his collections, this season he introduced a lot more color.  Icy pinks, lavenders and yellows created a pastel bouquet on the runway that was oh so Springtime in France.

Another triumph for Zang Toi, my only complaint about his Spring 2013 show would be that I didn’t want it to end!  Ahhh, but there is always next season to look forward to!

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Ladies Who Lunch: Norisol Ferrari Spring 2013!

Every once in a while, a designer emerges who is intelligent, well spoken, extremely creative and has the skills to bring those creations to life.  Norisol Ferrari is one of those designers.

What makes Norisol Ferrari’s designs so relevant, beyond the couture workmanship and drape, is her strong point of view and how she works that into her collections.  A core message in all of her collections is the empowerment of women.

For her Spring 2013 Collection, Norisol Ferrari took her inspiration from strong movie icons of the past including Marilyn Monroe, Rita Moreno and Rita Hayworth.  The collections main focus was on the silhouettes which was emphasized with a color palette of black, white, greys and neutrals.  The one interjection of color came in the form of a beautiful floral print that introduced red into the mix.

The Spring 2013 Collection is feminine, flirty, sexy and above all sophisticated.  There is also an emphasis on a woman’s curves, showing them off in pencil skirts, trim cigarette pants and form fitting bodices.  The collection truly celebrates real women with real bodies.

Norisol Ferrari also champions a woman’s beauty at all ages, which was highlighted by her choice of models for her show.  Mixed in with the present day models were superstar models of the past.  Carol Alt, Carmen Dell’Orefice, Alva Chinn and Karen Bjornson all graced the runway in Ms. Ferrari’s designs and looked spectacular, proving that women remain beautiful and valid at any age.

Norisol Ferrari’s Spring 2013 collection is gorgeous, sexy, impeccably made and a complete triumph!  It takes a designer like Ferrari to remind us what real fashion is all about and that real fashion is for real women.

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Ladies Who Lunch: National Blogging Day of Remembrance

Ladies Who Lunch: Son Jung Wan Spring 2013!

Gradually making her mark on the American market, Son Jung Wan presented her collection for the fourth time at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York.  I became a fan after seeing her Spring 2012 show and it has become one of the shows I wouldn’t miss!

Son Jung Wan’s collections are chock full of innovative drapes, interesting fabrics and beautiful color palettes and her Spring 2013 Collection was no different. Inspired by the artist Juan Miro, Son Jung Wan created a collection that was a breath of fresh Spring air!

The silhouettes accentuated movement on the body with drapes that while contemporary, had a romanticism that made the garments extremely feminine.  The color palette was full of Spring pastels, accentuated with bright oranges, greens, and yellows that tied back to the Miro inspiration.

Son Jung Wan’s Spring 2013 collection was another home run for the designer, presenting a collection that showed her expertise as a designer and as an artist!

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Ladies Who Lunch: Sherri Hill Spring 2013!

I first met Sherri Hill when I was living briefly in Atlanta and working in a multi-designer showroom that carried her lines.  I was extremely impressed with her designs and the beautiful craftsmanship that goes into each and every one of her garments.

It is no wonder that she has been the go-to person for Beauty Pageant contestants and a slew of celebrities who rely on her gowns to make them the belles of the ball.  As her reputation keeps growing, she is becoming more and more the designer that women seek out for the special occasions in their lives.

So, it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to going to Sherri Hill's Spring 2013 runway show at Trump Tower.  I have a serious weakness for elaborate evening gowns and Sherri Hill again did not disappoint.  The color palette was predominantly pastel, with pinks, seafoams, yellows, corals and champagnes taking over the runway with an occasional burst of bright color to shake it up.

The dramatic silhouettes were accentuated with Sherri’s always exquisite beadwork and embroidery designs which make her designs so glamorous.  Lace was also a key player in the collection adding a delicate femininity to the mix.

Once again, Sherri Hill’s collection dazzled the audience filled with celebrities from Olympian Ryan Lochte to Donald Trump himself.  And the celebs weren’t just in the audience, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner and even Hailey Baldwin walked the runway!

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Ladies Who Lunch: Josie Natori Sample Sale & Yiliy Handbags Trunk Show!

Tis the season for shopping! Getting presents for all of the loved ones and also getting something a little special for yourself is what makes the season bright! And you know how I love to shop!

If you are one of the lucky ones to be in the New York area, a couple of shopping coups are just on the horizon for you!  First, this coming Sunday, December 9th, Yiliy Handbags is having a trunk show in Soho! Yiliy Chen, designer of the line of gorgeous and versatile handbags will be hosting the trunk show at the Ruia Boutique at 65 Mercer Street from 2:00 to 6:00pm, where she will be previewing her latest collection!  She will also be offering exclusive deals on her Holiday Collection!!

Then next week on Wednesday, December 12th through Thursday, December 13th, the always fashionable Josie Natori will be having a sample sale that will include Lingerie, Bras, Panties, Sleepwear and Ready-To-Wear.  Garments will come form all of the lines including Josie Natori, Natori, Josie and N Natori!  Located in Midtown, it couldn’t be more accessible and a chance to get this fave designer’s styles at a bargain price is a Not-to-Miss opportunity!

I’ll let you know of more of these fabulous shopping events as they roll in! In the mean time, Happy Shopping!

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Ladies Who Lunch: "Josie And The Dragon" Book Launch!

Looking for that extra special gift for the fashionista in your life (or perhaps for yourself)?  Just in time for the Holiday Season, legendary designer Josie Natori presented her new book at the Openhouse Gallery on the Lower East Side!

“Josie and the Dragon”, commemorates the 35th Anniversary of Josie Natori’s career in Fashion in a limited edition book!  Beuatifully illustrated by British fashion illustrator Andrea Byrne on gallery quality paper, the book leads us on a whimsical journey through the milestones of Josie Natori’s career.  Each illustration is accompanied by a verse that tells Natori’s story, from the embroidered blouse that launched her career to nights at Studio 54.

Josie Natori began her fashion career in intimate apparel and has grown it into one of the largest international labels in the world, encompassing not only lingerie, but also a ready-to-wear line that is as sophisticated and elegant as Josie herself.  Drawing on her Filipino heritage, other Asian influences and her New York lifestyle, Josie Natori’s designs speak to women of style around the globe.  The designer’s career was recently celebrated in an exhibit at the Ayala Museum in Manila and we can only hope that they recreate that retrospective here in the U.S.

The book, “Josie and the Dragon” is being sold in a limited edition of 2,000 copies and can be purchased at natori.com for $50.  You can also visit Natori’s Facebook page and enter a signed book giveaway that will run through the month of December!

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Ladies Who Lunch: Paola Quadretti Spring 2013!

Being hands-on in the creation of garments was what led me into the fashion industry and is the aspect that I still most love about it.  Working with the materials firsthand and interacting with the client to create fashion that is beautiful and relevant to the individual is still important to me. In a sea of fashion produced in mass amounts in locations across the globe, this aspect of fashion is becoming harder and harder to find.

I recently discovered a kindred spirit in the work of designer Paola Quadretti at her showroom in New York.  Ms. Quadretti, a native of Florence, has had a lifetime passion for fashion and is living that passion with her own designs.  Having worked for famous designers like Laura Biagiotti, Ms. Quadretti opened her first atelier in Florence in 1988.  Her love for art, design and a desire to put quality first in all aspects of her creations brought her a loyal following of notable families in Florence that then expanded to clientele in Rome and Milan.

An American friend invited Paola Quadretti to her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she presented her first American Trunk Show.  The women attending the show from cities across the U.S. fell in love with Paola Quadretti’s designs and offered to arrange shows for her in their cities as well. 

Thanks to this initial show, Ms. Quadretti now travels each season to New York, San Francisco, Washington, Palm Beach, Newport Beach and Boston to present her new collections. With clients able to buy garments ready made as well as order the designs made to measure, it is no surprise that fashionable women in the U.S. have taken note of Paola Quadretti.  Through her trunk shows in Boston, she formed a friendship and partnership that has allowed her to open a salon in New York City.

For Spring 2013, Paola Quadretti is once again presenting a line that is beautiful and elegant.  Prints range from a lush tropical inspired print and a whimsical floral with birds and butterflies to abstract prints that give the garments dimension and color without overpowering the design.  Also notable in the collection is the use of printing on textured fabrics, giving the garments even more depth and interest.

 

Silhouettes are notably ladylike and elegant with just the right amount of sexiness thrown in as demonstrated in a black silk jumpsuit that is a sure room stopper.  But most notable in the collection is Paola Quadretti’s devotion to quality.  The collection is impeccably tailored with great attention to detail in all aspects of the garment from the finest fabrics to needlework to buttons.  This is true luxury.

With her salon in New York, Paola Quadretti style will now be even more accessible to American women and I know that once they experience her impeccable designs that they will become the fans that I now am.  I look forward to meeting Paola Quadretti in person in the near future and bringing you even more on this extremely talented designer!

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