shopbop shoptalk

First Fashion: Alexander Wang Resort Collection

The first half of What’s New is dedicated to the Alexander Wang resort collection this morning, and while every piece has been in my cart at some point, I’ve narrowed my selection to the Baggy Romper and one of these holiday-party-ready dresses.
	Lending a certain fluidity to sequins, this may be the most obvious party choice. Shimmering and slinky, it will ring in the New Year with style. Alexander Wang - Drapey Stretch Sequin Dress
	This has significantly less flash, but the comfort factor ranks pretty high for me. The combination of a casual jersey bodice and an evening skirt is an inspired take on the high/low trend. Alexander Wang - Gunmetal Jersey Dress with Slinky Combo
	A somewhat unassuming LBD from the front, this dress shines with its asymmetrical open back (click through to see what I mean—breathtaking). Alexander Wang - Slinky One Shoulder Dress
Alright, ladies, I need to pick only one. Which would you choose? And, after you’ve cast your vote, check out all the latest from Alexander Wang, WGACA Vintage, Alice + Olivia, and more, in What’s New. --Amie

New from Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent

When a new collection from Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent arrives at the Shopbop offices, I can’t help but think it looks a lot like the contents of my dream closet. Cynthia Vincent’s design philosophy is to make sexy yet comfortable clothes that she herself wants to wear, and luckily they’re just the clothes a lot of other women want to wear, too. Feminine yet unfussy, wearable yet special, they’re the pieces that turn into wardrobe favorites. So it’s time to get my head out of the clouds and make my dream closet a reality, with a few pieces from the holiday collection that will take me from day to night.
	Day: The delicate print on this soft silk blouse, along with the graceful silhouette, adds a touch of elegance to a pair of skinny jeans. Ballet flats and understated earrings by Gorjana jewelry finish the look.
	Evening: For a date night or holiday dinner, this frock gives a subtle nod to the season in festive scarlet or emerald, and the waist-cinching silhouette gives it the flattering fit Twelfth St. dresses are known for. I’ll keep the accessories simple, just adding a studded clutch (this one from Diane von Furstenberg is more sweet than edgy) and black pumps.
	Night Out: A simple LBD at first glance, this dress reveals its sexy side with a studded strap and a flirtatious open back. Booties accented with serious hardware and a wristful of mixed-metal bangles accentuate this slinky style’s hard edge.
--Tonya

First Fashion: LNA Music Tees

Fashion and music: they’re a match for the ages. From Stevie Nicks to Steven Tyler, Madonna to Lady Gaga, musicians have influenced fashion and fashion has influenced musicians. And the latest in that delicious duo? Music Tees. Merging digital music and fashion, each tee is a wearable album cover, and each comes with a free playlist download featuring some of the music industry’s most promising up-and-comers. We’ve teamed up with LNA to create four exclusive tees, inspired by our hottest fall trends.
	Pure ’80s fashion, this tee will turn even the most mild-mannered gal into a maniac on the dance floor. LNA - Material Girl Cropped Music Tee
	An unexpected take on the military trend, this crop top is proving buttoned-up inspiration isn’t limited to refined jackets and leather boots. LNA - Wartime Cropped Flashdance Music Tee
	Natural inspiration with a comfy slant, this hits the wanderer trend’s highpoints. LNA - Nomad Raw Edge Music Tank
	And we couldn’t do a batch of music tees without drawing on our edgy rocker trend. LNA - Rocker Cropped Music Tee
The only thing left to do? Pick your musical delight, in What’s New. --Amie

Bring Fashion Week to Everyday Dressing

 
Some showstoppers, like finale-worthy evening gowns, speak for themselves on the runway, but inspired styling is a big part of what makes separates (see the season’s de rigueur chunky knits and animal prints) and more challenging looks (sequined harem pants at Thakoon) sing. While most of us can agree recreating a head-to-toe runway look is overkill, taking cues from how top designers present pieces at their shows is particularly helpful in figuring out how to wear them for every day.

Take Rag & Bone for example: clever layering made their fall 2009 collection come to life. Look closely at the ensemble on the far left above: that’s a leather dress peeking out from under the peacoat. With leggings and a sweater, it’s less biker rally, more British It-girl, while a felted wool shift (middle look) feels modish, not mild-mannered when put over a white button-down shirt and finished with socks and booties. And, flying in the face of the navy-with-black-is-a-no-no rule, the last look (at right) shows what a beautiful (if unexpected) couple these moody neutrals make.

Want more? Check out our Runway to Shopbop feature, where you’ll not only find inspiration, but shopping-friendly runway looks galore.

--Maureen
Shopbop Shoptalk

Hopelessly Devoted to Diane von Furstenberg

 
A Google search for Diane von Furstenberg quotes yields all sorts of gems on everything from living an unconventional life to her definition of feminism to the importance of being your own best friend. But this one seems to encapsulate DVF’s life’s work (thus far) best: “I've always been inspired by women, and my mission was to inspire women. I always wanted to become a certain kind of [independent] woman and I became that woman through fashion.” (Quote from Amanda Christine Miller’s great Q&A with DVF on The Huffington Post.) And though she’s known for women’s advocacy on a number of fronts (including Vital Voices), DVF’s grownup “girls rule” message is perhaps most passionately expressed in her collection.

Creating clothes that enable women to move confidently (and chicly) through the myriad parts of their lives is clearly DVF’s MO. As the notes from the DVF fall 2009 runway show state: “Wherever she goes, she belongs…her clothes are her friends.” And it’s quite a group of friends she’s given us this season: cozy yet smart intarsia knits, an exquisite woven metallic clutch that goes from day to night, a tribal-print take on the wrap dress that secured her place in the ’70s fashion lexicon, and the ladylike blouses that have become her signature. A real deal fashion industry survivor who’s seen everything from Studio 54 to Bungalow 8, DVF's clothes consistently show that strength is found in femininity.

Want more on her majesty DVF? I suggest Diane: A Signature Life and this interview from the October issue of Harper’s Bazaar.

--Maureen
Shopbop Shoptalk

First Fashion: New Looks from L.A. Favorite Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent

Not some flavor of the week fashion designer, Cynthia Vincent’s Twelfth St. line is a consistently one of Shopbop’s most popular season after season. Fun to wear without being silly or frivolous, Vincent’s collections display a distinctly L.A. sensibility and a uniquely feminine point of view. Three of my current faves:
	The moody floral and smart pleating make for the perfect work-to-after-work dress. Just add Falke tights and platform booties and you’re ready for whatever the day (or night) brings. Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent Gypsy Dress
	Vincent’s palette is always spot-on, and this little purple number is the perfect example of her impeccable eye for color. Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent Back Tie Waist Dress
	I saw a street style shot of this incredibly chic woman in grey sweats, a white tee, and a black blazer on Garance Doré awhile back, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. This pair satisfies the slouchy-sweats craving, but feels a little more sophisticated. Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent Slouch Ankle Pants
Find fresh looks from fashion favorites like Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent in What’s New. --Maureen

On the Edge: Loeffler Randall Fall 2009

Drawing inspiration from French sculptor Louise Bourgeois, the Loeffler Randall fall 2009 collection has a decidedly edgier feel than seasons past. Designer Jessie Randall writes about her inspiration in her blog: “There is a subtle aggression and anger in Bourgeois’ art, and this also inspired harder edge styles.” That edge comes out in draped grey bands on a slim pencil skirt—a direct homage to Bourgeois’ spider sculptures—and silver buckles that transform the Matilde silhouette into the equally streamlined, yet markedly tougher Marti Boot.

But the feminine polish is not lost. You see it in the smooth curves on each pair of comfortable-as-they-are-chic shoes and in the dresses that accentuate the female form’s best features. The Shoulder Trim Dress offers a clean silhouette with a nod to the strong shoulder trend, and the Corded Hexagon Blouse plays to the season’s hard-edge inspiration in a sweetly timeless way.

Loeffler Randall, launched in 2005 as an answer to the designer’s shoe cravings, has veered in a subtle new direction, all the while ensuring each piece remains an investment in your fashion future.

--Amie
Shopbop

New at Shopbop: Rag & Bone Shoes

Just as Alexander Wang’s new shoe collection caused widespread hyperventilation in the fashion blogosphere, Rag & Bone is getting lots of love for distilling the timeless, built-to-last sensibility of its much-loved clothing into a line of shoes. And just as Wang’s heavily buckled, lace-up boots and booties perfectly complement his aggressive dresses, Rag & Bone shoes are tailor-made for the brand’s die-hard fans: picture rugged moto boots or preppy-gone-bad felt-and-leather boots with a polished blazer, or riding boots with an equestrian-inspired jacket.

Still not enough Rag & Bone? They’ll be introducing sunglasses in spring ’10 (if you can’t wait until they land at Shopbop, get a sneak peek here), inspired by Italian frames of the ’60s and ’70s and named after defunct motorcycle companies. Best of all, they’re made with Rag & Bone’s signature construction, so you’re far less likely to find them in pieces at the bottom of your handbag.

--Tonya

NYFW from a Designer’s Perspective: Victorialand’s Kate Wendelborn

Kate Wendelborn is the founder and designer behind Victorialand. Here, she reflects on her Fashion Week.

Designer Kate Wendelborn models two looks from the Victorialand Spring 2010 collection.

With the close of New York Fashion Week, I finally have 20 minutes to sit down and think. Designing and realizing my collection over the past few months, everything came together this week in the finishing, styling, and showing. I can breathe now.
 
I’m a bit of a details freak, so reworking multiple pieces a few too many times to get them just right is pretty normal. As you can imagine, that takes a lot of work and time, so I am not even going to tell you how much I have (or haven’t) slept in the past two weeks. But seeing my vision in physical form makes it all worth it. For me, it's all in the subtleties: the curve of a seam, the length of a sleeve, the curve of the seat of a pant (even an eighth of an inch makes a huge difference to me), the number of buttons on the front of a shirt. I’m a design and fashion masochist and love every minute.

For the Spring 2010 season I wanted to expand Victorialand's menswear-inspired shirting beginnings into other tailored/menswear-inspired pieces like jackets and trousers. I have always loved the powerful woman and like to see women dress like strong people and not like little girls. Looking at the way men dress inspires me. I like playing with the idea of making that look relevant every season. It’s about making small changes in style and not giant leaps that stray from who you really are. Clothing has a lot to do with perception, whether we like to believe it or not, but I don't believe it's in a superficial way. It is a first impression and a jumping-off point for showing who you are and what you are made of. For me, wearing a well-tailored jacket or a well-cut shirt with a great shoe gives a woman something a t-shirt and sneakers won't (and, I mean, I wear t-shirts under my jackets every day, but I always bring the jacket). There is an aura and a sense of seriousness to a woman who can pull this off. I relish the attempt and love to experiment with this as I grow older. This is what Victorialand is all about.

As Seen on the Today Show: DANNIJO Jewelry

When we fall for a piece of jewelry, all the work that went into creating it is the furthest thing from our minds. But the Today Show’s peek at the designers behind DANNIJO jewelry illustrated what goes into making those favorites, from the first sketches to those covetable pieces that make their way to Shopbop. (Hint: it involves cramped quarters, harried phone calls, and sorting through vast roomfuls of raw materials.)

Co-founded by sisters Danielle and Jodie Snyder, DANNIJO began as a brick-and-mortar store in Jacksonville, Florida, before the duo took their chance in the big city and launched their line in New York in 2008. DANNIJO jewelry is a reflection of the sisters’ personalities: ladylike, sophisticated Jodie is seen in classic, feminine pieces, and Danielle’s vivacious, bohemian sensibility is reflected in eclectic, whimsical designs. A true creative endeavor, the line is a collage of rough-hewn stones, chains, and studs contrasted with floral motifs and dainty rose gold, hitting the spot between edgy and feminine and letting every fashionista express her unique personality.

--Tonya