Designer News

1) Pierre Hardy is set to design a line of shoes for Gap. Hardy was a shoe designer for Dior in the 1980s and he currently designs jewelry for Hermès and unbelievably amazing shoes for Balenciaga, as well as his own slickly modern eponymous shoe and handbag line. The line debuts in Europe and a few other markets by the end of this year, with the American debut early next year.

2) Roberto Cavalli's designs for the Spice Girls reunion tour have been released. Cavalli did the costumes for J. Lo's pregnant tour and Christina Aguilera's semi-pregnant tour. I wonder if any of the Spice Girls are pregnant...

3) Kirsten Dunst will be the next face of Miu Miu. Miu Miu has had quite the fascination with actresses in the past several years. The current campaign features the lovely Laetitia Casta, while previous campaigns have featured the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Evan Rachel Wood, Selma Blair, Lou Doillon, Kim Basinger, Ludivine Sagnier, Zhou Xun, and Camilla Belle.

Anne Klein - Isabel Toledo = Boring Sportswear

An Anne Klein look by Isabel Toledo, Spring/Summer 2008, which won't hit stores next year

In an effort to update the brand and give the company a stronger, more contemporary image across the board, Anne Klein, a division of Jones Apparel Group Inc., decided a year ago to enter the (already relatively crowded) designer sportswear arena. To fill the role of creative director, the company hired Isabel Toledo, who already had her own eponymous line in the same category and stocked at stores like Nordstrom. The line was meant to compete with other modern American sportswear names, somewhat edgier than Michael Kors, but maybe slightly tamer than Marc Jacobs.

On the runway, there were clear influences of the New York art world in Toledo's use of prints and colors, which is fitting considering that Isabel's husband is none other than Nordstrom fashion illustrator extraordinaire Ruben Toledo. Editors and store buyers loved it, with Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus stocking up on fresh classics, like delectably detailed, printed shirtdresses and crisp white shirts with a gorgeous, feminine tux pleats. The fashion-foward ad campaigns featured Stella Tennant and longtime Anne Klein model Carolyn Murphy in a much more conceptual narrative than any prior campaign.

But, sadly, the designer line is being shuttered in order for the company to focus more on their bridge- and better-priced collections (which have generally been pretty staid and ho-hum for ages). It's too bad because Isabel Toledo was the breath of fresh air Anne Klein, and indeed America's wilting fashion reputation, sorely needed.

The New Versace Man - Dr. McDreamy?

A Versace ad from Spring 2007

Donatella Versace has quite the legacy of employing celebrities for their ad campaigns. On the women's side, everybody from Courtney Love and Christina Aguilera to Halle Berry and Demi Moore has taken a shot at portraying the modern Versace woman. Even Madonna gave it a whirl a few years ago. On the men's side, Tuki Brando (Marlon's grandson) was the face last season, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers filling the slot for the two seasons before that. Now, the word is that Patrick Dempsey, Dr. McDreamy himself, is going to star in the Spring/Summer 2008 campaign. It's certainly a much different image than the one given by 16 year-old, Tahitian-born Tuki. Will all the model-flipping confuse the customer? Probably not. The Versace man is generally really confident in their clothing choices (along the lines of a DSquared2 or Dolce & Gabbana man even) and these ads will probably attract a wider, more traditional client.

In The Spotlight: Aritzia

Hailing from Vancouver, Aritzia boasts an impressively trendy boutique concept with stores all over Canada and 2 in the US. From staple brands like Citizens of Humanity and Juicy Couture to in-house designers like Talula Babaton, Aritzia seems to have the perfect combinations to put together some hot, stylish outfits. Not only are the clothes fashion-forward, but the boutiques also resemble trendy European styles such as artistic lighting and decor.

Currently the two stores in the U.S. are in Bellevue, Washington and San Jose, CA- with plans to expand further into the American market. I think their distinguished style and great taste makes them a perfect candidate for the growing interest in upscale brands state-side.

Stay tuned for more to come on this up-and-coming brand's entry into the US market.

More information can be found here:

Aritzia Boutique Launches in Bellevue Square Nov 17th - East Side Business Journal
Aritzia hopes designer jeans will fly in U.S. -Financial Post

Black Friday: Consumer Spending Update

Consumer spending was healthy in many of Seattle's retail stores
today. Most notably, and surprising was the line out the door at
Bellevue Square's Express. Other busy retailers included MNG Mango,
Canadian retailers Aritzia and Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ:LULU), as well as department stores Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN) and Macy's (NYSE:M). Gap(NYSE:GPS) was (not surprisingly) practically empty, with only a few scattered customers waffling around
in the men's section with the cash register completely empty. Retailer
Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) had a respectable crowd, however we were largely disappointed with the 'deals' offered. Overall, we thought that higher end clothing retailers fared better with the upscale consumer crowd than electronics or lower end products.

--Update

Another notable retailer this weekend was GameStop (NYSE:GME), with its store packed full of shoppers. Recently, they have been on a pretty heavy run with so many popular video games being released and pre-sold by the store. I wouldn't be surprised if this momentum continues through the holidays.

A Hipper, Younger, Less Intimidating Chanel

Chanel plans to open a store catered to younger, more easily intimidated demographic of shoppers in their teens. Fashion Week Daily reported that the store would be located at 125 North Robertson Boulevard.

"Merchandising for the approximately 4,500-square-foot store has yet to be conceptualized, but when it opens late next spring alongside neighboring stores like Intermix, Tory Burch, Kitson, and Lisa Kline, it's expected to carry a selection of trendier, more fashion-forward ready-to-wear and accessories as opposed to its 14,700-square-foot Rodeo Dr. counterpart. That mantra evidently will carry through as far as the store's design, as word has it the front door entrance will come in the form of a retractable garage door, likely emblazoned with the Chanel logo."
-Fashion Week Daily, Chanel Readies for Robertson

As younger consumers become increasingly exposed to high-end advertising and luxury products, accessibility to these products must become second nature to retailers. Although, one might worry that a younger consumer crowd potentially threatens a brand's image and might drive away older staple customers willing to spend more per capita.

Oprah's Favorite Things + Nordstrom

Notice anything particular about the three items featured on the Nordstrom.com home page? Those Ugg boots, the Clarisonic system, and the Rachel Pally set were all featured on Oprah's Favorite Things episode, which airs today. It's funny how subtle it is, there's no mention of Oprah anywhere. Buy! Buy! Buy!