“There is a frustration in what we do…In a sense, there is not a road, not a path, that we go down… We can’t just sell the magazine. We have to sell the audience. We have to explain that our audience buys things, that they are valuable. It’s just plain dollars and sense.”– Michelle Ebanks, group publisher at Essence Communications Group, in a New York Times article dated December 7th, 2004.

Hi ladies,
Today The Fashion Bomb presents a tribute to Suede Magazine.

To be honest, I didn’t really pay attention to Suede when it popped in on newsstands with its colorful covers and brown hued beauties. I believe I flipped through the premiere issue with Alicia Keys on the cover…

…remarked at how a few spreads gave me a mild headache…

…then sort of forgot about it.

I’m kicking myself for being so apathetic about it…One of my homies over at Essence recently showed me a few issues and I instantly fell in love with the eye catching beauty spreads…

Innovative fashion shoots…

And engaging art, historical, and political features…

Yes, that’s an article about Barack Obama before his presidential bid!

Suede displayed everything from sunglasses…

to contributors…

to letters to the editor…

…in eye catching and inventive ways.

Plus, it seems Suede was the place to go for style addicts like myself…

I mean, we’re talking about ankle boots now, but Suede featured booties back in 2005!

I love me some Essence, and the young Vibe Vixen is certainly growing on me. But, for us brown skinned ladies who moonlight as fashionistas, I loved Suede’s multiple fashion spreads featuring women who look like me….one issue of Suede had about 5 spreads! Vogue only has 2, maybe 3. (Perhaps it was those expensive shoots, though, that drained Suede’s bank account.)

Regardless of the reasons it closed its doors, I believe I speak for many women when I ask ‘Where for art thou, Suede?’
What do y’all think?
Smootches!

PS A Women’s Wear Daily article by Marc Karimzadeh reports today that designer Stephen Burrows, who I wrote about here, will premiere a new daytime line at a lower price. The article says, “the new dresses [will] wholesale from $125 to $195, compared with $225 to $880 for the evening line. At the lower price points, the new pieces are likely to sit with Nanette Lepore, Tracy Reese, and Diane Von Furstenberg at specialty stores.” The piece goes on to say that the line, “Will open to the market on Feb. 7th for fall distribution.” Unfortunately what the piece DOESN’T SAY is WHERE WE CAN BUY this new line. What good is a lower price point if noone can find it??? Updates to come!

Hey Y’all,

As some of you may know, I’m a Southern Georgia Peach, transplanted to New York City. Always on the lookout for fashionable people, I tried my hand at taking pictures of a few of Atlanta’s stylish men and women during a recent trip.

One wknd I went to a bar at Atlanta’s new Atlantic Station and snapped pictures of a few peeps.

This first duo…

…looked great in their stylish belts, skinny jeans, and stillettos. I really liked how the girl on the right’s earrings matched her shoes.

This chick….


…shined because of her funky hair and detailed trench.

For the men…


…this dude was the only one in the house wearing herringbone and an ascot with sneaks.

And lastly, this guy…

…matched his T-shirt to his Nikes, and accented the whole ‘fit with a cool belt.

Peace Up, A-town down (Smootches)!

Want great places to shop in Atlanta???
My fabulous sister recommends the following boutiques:
*Go to Bill Hallman (www.shopbillhallman.com)
for unique soho inspired pieces. Bill Hallman is located in Little Five Points and Virginia Highlands (bonus: Virginia highlands features great vintage dresses, shoes and clutches).

*Pieces of Adrene (www.piecesofadrene.com) has great one-of-a-kind finds. Perfect for club outfits to get crunk!

*Envy (www.theenvylife.com) has great club clothes for the grown and sexy.

*Tease (www.teaseshirtjunkie.com) is a small boutique, perfect for those looking to make a statement. They feature a line of ethnic friendly shirts, including messages like “Little brown girl” and “I love my hair”!

*If all else fails you can head to Lenox Mall-shopping central where the young and fabulous of A-town hang. Recently spotted in Lacoste, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Louis Vuitton were Andre 3000, Usher, and Bow Wow getting their shop on. And if these stores aren’t “posh” enough for your tastes, head across the street to Phipps Plaza, home to Atlanta’s most elite stores.

My family went on a huge vacation to China this summer:

The museums, culture, and food were amazing…
But my sisters and I were truly tickled pink by the shopping and great fakes in Shanghai:

In the markets, we rushed from store to store, haggling, bargaining, and bluffing with the ladies who had ‘looks real to me’ Burberry, Puma, Marc Jacobs, Prada, etc.

Thinking I had a good grasp on what real vs. faux looked like, I made my purchases with confidence.

I bought this ‘Burberry’ scarf/shawl (as a souvenir of course!):

for about…$10.
A similar piece:

Is $225 at Saks.

I have a couple real Burberry items…and I honestly thought this scarf was a good match.

The other day I went to the snootiest of snooty sample sales and set my designer imposter scarf on a table. A guy came by to look at wares on the table, so I moved my scarf. As I did he said, “Oh it’s yours. For a second I thought this vendor was selling Burberry Knock Offs.”

I was shocked and awed. I knew that I’d paid $10 for it abroad, but the fact that this snooty man could tell it wasn’t real totally trampled my belief that all the fakes I purchased in China could actually fool anyone in NYC.
I felt…tacky!

My question is this: Are fakes an upgrade or a downgrade?

Let’s weigh the pros:
1. If a fake is actually good enough to fool people, why bother buying the real thing? My sister’s sweet ‘Ferragamo’ clutch is real leather and a nice bag:

and also unique enough that only Anna Wintour would know the difference.
2. Also, I think Mr. Ferragamo is charging wayyy too much for his $800 bags. In the spirit of democracy, luxury aspirations, and fashion, is it so bad to rock a *great* fake?
3. Who cares if Mr. Snooty knows the difference? Most people can’t tell at all. A fashion assistant friend of mine complimented me profusely on my shawl before I dropped the “I got it in China” bomb.

Then again, the cons:
1. Apparently buying fakes is immoral. Counterfeit sales negatively affect Burberry’s billion dollar business…and according to a WWD article last year by Liza Casabona, buying fakes contributes to organized crime:(
2. Why bother with super fancy labels at all? In Fabulosity, Kimora Lee says, “…Don’t buy fake luxury-brand pieces–the people you’re trying to impress will know right away you got that Louis Vuitton on Canal Street. Go for unexpected middle pieces from middle-tier brands (the ones other women probably won’t pick).” Good point.
3.Lastly, the tacky factor. Tackiness=fashion suicide.

So, are fakes ok? Or not so much?
Should I walk my ‘Burberry’ over to the Salvation Army?
What do you think?

Smootches!

PS The NYTimes writes about the perils of carrying large handbags here.

Sales:
*Paul & Joe’s Sample Sale is this Thursday-Sunday from 12-7 at 361 W. 17th St. Between 8-9th Aves. Lauren Moffatt makes an appearance on Friday December 8th! Visa, mc, amex & cash.
*Theory Sample Sale care of Clothingline: 261 W 36th Street (between 7th & 8th Ave). 2nd Floor. New York, NY 10018

Hey Y’all,

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
Sure the turkey, macaroni, and collards were delish, but I hope you can make a little room for one more steaming hot plate of fashion fabulosity.

I recently chatted with my designer friend, Tiffany Chantra, about her shoe company, Dru New York:

Dru shoes are practical, pretty pumps and flats for women on the go. They’re stylish, saucy, and comfortable to boot:


And at around $100 a pop, they’re pretty affordable.

Tiffany’s only a few years out of college, but already has her own line which was recently featured in Lucky and In Style Weddings (bravo!).
Since we’re buds, I decided I’d get the inside scoop.
Read on to learn about her line and style inspirations.
Enjoy!

1. How did you get your start?

It all started with a little luck. I was looking for a summer job during college so I went to a career fair. While I was standing in this crowded room, someone came up to me, said she liked my shoes, introduced herself as the head of footwear design at Coach, and then asked when I could start!

After the summer at Coach and finishing my degree at Harvard, I dabbled in management consulting before returning to the fashion industry. I started working at a clothing store and for another clothing designer, as well as going to Parsons. I was toying with the idea of launching my own line after Parsons, when the store owner Kim Phan asked me to design a season of shoes for her stores where I worked, Project 234 and Project 159. So DRU New York began with the Spring 2006 collaboration and launched independently in Fall 2006.

2. A lot of young designers design for established brands, but you decided to strike out on your own. What motivated you to take your own unique route?

I think the seed was planted when I started working with Kim Phan and Mary Ping, both of whom are young, dynamic entrepreneur-designers. They showed me it was possible to make something new really happen, and to do it yourself. The idea for DRU New York developed as I found it more difficult to get fun, unique but wearable shoes, especially to fit the lifestyle demands of New York. With the opportunity to test it out and work with Kim, DRU New York got its start and came into its own.

3. Who are your professional idols? Who inspires you?

As you can tell from my story, Kim is an incredible role model and mentor. She is one of the friends and family who inspire me daily with their own work and life, who have all taken ideas, are trying something different and making something out of it, and all the while sticking to their values.

4. What kind of woman do you make your shoes for?

I design them with the New York lifestyle in mind, but with a sort of light vibe that reflects my LA roots. Whether or not my customers actually live in the city, DRU New York is for the women and girls everywhere who are on the go from day to night, love being on the move, and distinguish themselves from the pack. I aim for each shoe to be as fun, witty, and versatile as the people who wear them, and focus primarily on colorful flats and low heels so that DRU shoes fit comfortably and can really support that lifestyle.

5. Where are your shoes sold? Average retail price?

They are at boutiques in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Hong Kong, and online, such as Project 234, American Rag, Traceboutique.com, Milk, and Girlshop.com. They range from $95-130 at retail.

6. Who are your style icons? Favorite brands?

Kate Moss has great style. I love Marni, Jil Sander, Hussein Chalayan, Prada, and Balenciaga. The people behind these brands all think differently and pioneer ideas into fashion movements.

Fabulous.

Want more? Visit Dru New York’s website here OR, if you’re in New York, come to DRU New York’s first sample sale at Gen Art Shop NYC!

Deets:
WHAT: OPEN BAR, GIFT BAGS, TREATS, SHOPPING 40+ DESIGNERS, AND DRU NEW YORK!!
WHEN: TUESDAY, 5-DEC-2006, 6-10PM
WHERE: THE PUCK BUILDING (LAFAYETTE AND HOUSTON)

Find more info about admissions, etc here.

Smootches!

PS It’s shoe week, so stay tuned for real shoe style, celebrity fashion, and shoe news.

Hi Readers,

So I’m finally psychologically and physically recovered from the onslaught of yore. Still, I realized that some of you might be wondering why in the world the Viktor & Rolf collection caused such a fury.

To get an answer, I tapped Fashion Editor Robin Givhan for a bit of insight.

That’s her with Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger, after he presented her with a 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. Yup, a Pulitzer. If you haven’t heard of Robin Givhan (no, she’s not Mike Tyson’s ex-wife), then you might just need to ask somebody. Robin Givhan is hands down one of the most clever, witty, and well-versed fashion journalists in the industry. Her style and cultural criticisms in the Washington Post (on subjects ranging from American Idol to Dick Cheney to Karl Lagerfeld) have garnered her worldwide acclaim. I once read over 100 or so of her clips (ya know, just for fun one Sunday)…and I honestly felt like I took a semester long course in fashion history and design.

I got in touch, and she was happy to bless me with her wisdom (and now y’all get to join the fun–how exciting!)
Below, an unedited interview. Enjoy!

*When did Viktor & Rolf emerge on the fashion scene?
They started to get noticed in the 1990s. They began by showing couture
rather than ready-to-wear and caused quite a stir with their “mushroom
cloud” silhouettte.

* What design elements are they known for? Materials? Details?
They are known for strong silhouettes and for their use of details such as ruffles and bows.

* What did you think of their show this season? Any surprising elements?
Their show this season was based on ballroom dancing. To evoke an appropriate mood, they created a ballroom setting complete with cocktail tables, bottles of champagne and crystal chandeliers. The show opened with a couple dancing. One of the most striking features were shoes with crytal heels. The clothes are actually rather conservative. The show ended with
pairs of men ballroom dancing in celebration of their new menswear fragrance.

*What celebrities are known to sport their frocks?
The most famous celebrity is Tilda Swinton who was the inspiration for one of their shows. All the models were styled to look like her.

* How much do their clothes retail for?
How high is the sky? (Just kidding.) A dress is probably around $1,500 or so.

* Are their designs relevant for a younger demographic?
I think their sensibility is relevant to younger customers. They can be real pranksters. But the clothes are quite grown-up and require a strong personality. These are not starlet clothes but rather diva clothes.

Good thing I snagged one of their diva dresses (perfect for yours truly).
Smootches!

Want more Robin? Check out her articles here.