Fratelli Rossetti Fall/Winter 2009/10

The Fratelli Rossetti Fall 2009/10 offering is yet again a fine example of superior craftmanship in footwear. This Italian based company primarily has stayed true to its roots and consistently produces some of the finest shoes for both men and women. In regards to men's shoes the company has added "toe details" at the tip of some of their shoes, as well there is a grand selection of different skins and leathers to choose from.

For women the company has taken a semi male approach and has produced a capsule line with male style details. These shoes might not be for every woman but it does demonstrate that Fratelli Rossetti is willing to expand into a new direction despite the stale economy.

More information can be found at their website www.rossetti.it

Tracy Feith for Target Spring 2009

Clothing which has been described as Bohemian luxury Tracy Feith has been designing for over twenty years. His career starting out with skateboard designs has now landed at Target with a line for young girls with a smart recession proof price tag!

The collection is a young free spirited line with very colorful prints along with street chic pieces. The line is not overly trendy but had a strong feminine feel and his color palette makes the looks stand-outs! The line will launch May 17 with price point from $14.99 to $139.99. To order the Tracy Feith line visit www.target.com

Douglas Hannant Bridal Spring 2010

We have to admit that were not big fans of the bridal season so when the dates showed up on the fashion calendar little interest was shown except for one show, Douglas Hannant. We had gone to the debut collection which consisted of fourteen looks. For Spring it's 12 looks and Mr. Hannant has covered all the bases for his clients. The first few looks where strapless and had a feel of second time bride in her late thirties, forties but still very elegant. The silhouette is slim and form fitting and could easily be dubbed a "destination" dress for a wedding in the Bahamas.

Further down the collection the looks became more poof in style and filled out for a first time bride. Some dressed were adorned with jewels around the next line, something we have been seeing in ready-to-wear for about two seasons now. Our favorite looks were the white tulle veiled sequin racerback gown this dress done in a different color could easily be worn on a red carpet for the Oscars! The other one we loved was the ivory satin faced organza spiral gown which has a "sex and the city" feel to it, yes think Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big.

Once again Mr. Hannant has proved that less is indeed more with only showing twelve looks at the Plaza. In our opinion seeing any bridal collection where the looks get into the thirties and forties is overkill and editors get lost and lose focus. As for Douglas he makes it short and sweet and to the point. If wedding bells are ringing ladies this is what you want to be wearing!

Post show we had the chance to interview Mr. Hannant's business partner Frederick Anderson the interview can be heard at www.thefashionmarketreport.com

EJ's a Luncheonette like no other

In our opinion there are two types of restaurants, one's that focus on the food and one's that focus on the money. We have been going to EJ's ever since we moved our offices from downtown since it was a local place we thought it was a good place to eat. It's loud, crowded, filled with kids and their upper east side moms along with babies and strollers piled high in a corner.

The menu is a mix of classic American food with burgers, mac & cheese and some higher priced fancy items like a grilled salmon. You would think if you got a grilled salmon in a burger joint this place must be good?! Well for starters if you like really strong coffee they have it but its made in those huge machines that crank out like 200 cups at a time and the coffee sits there so chances are your getting burnt coffee, yes coffee can burn and for all you coffee lovers coffee is only good for 13 minutes then it's toast!

As for the food, we usually got the scrambled eggs with potatoes and toast but the potatoes came over-cooked and the eggs very stiff. I would not request "French style" since they have no clue how those eggs are prepared. The atmosphere is a sea of screaming, crying children and the staff seems over-worked and dazed & confused. As for those strollers we mentioned before we view this as a "fire hazard", but it seems EJ's is more concentrated on making the big bucks than public safety.

The apex of this whole operation comes when you get your bill, it's cash only, but they have an ATM machine located in the place if your short on cash. If you think the ATM is a courtesy for it's customers it's not, rest assured their getting a percentage every time a card dips into the machine. These guys have found a way to generate an income at every turn, you can even buy a t-shirt or coffee mug to remember your experience. If your looking for a better lunch option try Neils on Lexington and 70th street, better food, better prices and no screaming kids.

OMEGA Flagship Opens in New York City

OMEGA A Swatch Group brand has now opened up a Fifth Avenue flagship store which is a first for the company in New York. To celebrate the opening a new limited edition Platinum Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 Moonwatch will be available at the boutique.

In regards to the shopping experience OMEGA will provide its clients with a European style where selections will be brought to them based on there personal style. Along side that there will be Champagne and a Cappuccino bar on-site. This combination will most certainly make shopping for a great time piece more relaxing and enjoyable.

Oribe's New Product Line- The Wait is Over!

Most people have not heard of Oribe and have no concept of the magnitude he has placed on the fashion world over the years, being one of the creative hands who created the "Supermodels" of the 1990's. All of those wonderful hairstyles can be attributed to his creative direction which transformed fashion forever, and he's still at it. Most of the fashion editorials one sees in major fashion magazines are his creation, as well the ad campaigns and celebrities he styles. What has us buzzing, is his new line of haircare products which have just been released.

Upon calling in for a few samples we were very ready to hair test this new line. We received four products: Signature Shampoo & Conditioner, Superfine Hairspray and Rock Hard Gel. This was a perfect combination for us since we have short curly hair which we use tons of products to obtain a certain look.

The Signature Shampoo had a perfect consistency and was a low suds formula. When we washed this out it left our hair clean, there was no need to wash a second time! The Signature conditioned we left in our hair for around three minutes and when washed out our hair felt different and conditioned.

For the styling part we applied the Rock Hard Gel which came out of the tube more like a cream then a clear gel we are most accustomed to with other products. The gel was a great consistency and took well to our curly hair and set our style with little effort on our part. As for the Superfine Hair Spray the first ting we noted was the spray nozzle was slanted slightly up, so the spray shoots out in a upward direction. After drying the style held perfectly!

It is obvious that the research and development into the line was massive and extensive and it shows with every product Oribe has. Granted the line is a tad on the expensive side we feel this new line from Oribe is worth its weight in gold! You don't need alot of the product to achieve whatever look you desire. Remember beauty comes at a price which we firmly believe in because in the words of Karl Lagerfeld "If your cheap, nothing helps", and when it comes to a woman's hair nobody should every neglect themselves of quality hair products. In the final analysis this is it, the search is over, these products deliver! More information on his line can be found on his site www.oribe.com

Trance Essence Parfum "Abbey Rose"

The Trance Essence perfume corporation formed in 2008 has developed a cult following with celeb's like Pamela Anderson, Cher and Kate Hudson just to name a few who are devotees to this new fragrance company. What separates this line from others is that it's not mass produced. According to Janna Sheehan founder and creator states" Parfumes enhance self-esteem and a personal sense of well-being, something we all can use now!"

Her newest launch of Abbey Rose is infused with Bulgarian rose, Organic French lavender, Italian bergarmot and fig. reatil price for this is listed around $100.00 for a 2 fl oz bottle. The entire line of Trance Essence can be found at their site www.tranceessence.com