Lola and Sophie Spring 2016

Designer Gene Kagan has delivery once again a winning collection for spring 2016. The majority of his collection consisting mainly of tops range between grey tones, reds, blues and prints.

What draws me to this line are a few factors, the pieces are easy to travel with; basically you just toss em into the bag and your off!  His price points are easily digestible with tops in a range of $120-130 and jackets at around $175.  Lastly these looks can be worn just about anywhere. The feeling is a relaxed stylish woman who has a sense of style but she's not a slave to it. More information can be found at www.lolaandsophie.com

This is Mimi Plange S/S2016

Bill Cunningham once made reference to horse racing and fashion; driving home the point of editors/photographers who "follow" designers. I have been following designer Mimi Plange for over ten years and by far this is her shining moment in fashion. A unique talent with a vast range of technique which she blended into one collection. Her love of florals, piping, hard, soft lines and her treatment of colors all were shown. She has utilized these looks in the past but it seems for this season the bringing together of Mimi's various design strengths worked flawlessly. Some of her best pieces was her pink overcoat and her ombre style soft sherbet skirt.

Halston Heritage Closes on Madison Ave

It seems this was bound to happen for the house of Halston which moved into this space in 2013 which was a two-level space and potentially their flagship location in the United States, being located on Madison Avenue one would think this was the case. After visiting this location on a few occasions some things stayed the same. One; they still have a team of designers who are designing the collection and still have no premiere designer. Second it seemed that there always was a "sale" section within the store and third from what I could see there was little to no advertising for the brand.

Madison Avenue has always been a proving ground for fashion houses, and to their credit they did hold out for two years, but with a rent which clearly out paced store sales this was a disaster from the day the doors opened! Within the two years of being open there were no "fashion week" events to promote the line? The staff like most were "programmed" to claim strong sales but when fashion professionals needle them with questions they can't answer, sometimes you get the answers your looking for. The real question is, does the house hold on in other markets and who will take over the space? Located on the low 80's on Madison the location is out of the "sweet spot". For some reason after 79th Street it's hard to make a fashion house sucuessful.

Photo: R.Spiegel

Lie Sang Bong Resort 2015

Lie Sang Bong showed a ultra low key collection within the confines of his Gansevort Street flagship in the meatpacking district of New York City. A relative new comer to the New York fashion scene, his resort collection could be viewed as a restraint in the use of color and options which for resort is the proper thing to do. I've never grasped the sense of forty-five piece resort collections!

Sang Bong's previous runway offerings left one pondering the sense of a designer who might want to be all thing to all people, which translated towards trying to find his customer base in the United States? As for resort 2015 it's a flip from previous seasons and potentially might show a hint of a new design direction for this South Korean designer. The soft sherbet color palette works wonders and seems to be a user friendly collection and allows for accessories to be used. His white gold top is very in-line from past collections and editorial; but with over ten stores in South Korea and one NYC flagship in a "been there-done that" neighborhood it's going to be interesting to watch this designer.

Lola and Sophie Fall 2015

According to designer Gene Kagen " I believe in creating wearable multi-functional clothes. My target customer is a woman of style and individuality. She's18. She's 100! And everything in-between. The common denominator is her desire to look polished and put together".

As for his collection it's a grouping of easy pieces can that work just about anywhere in the world and have that toss in the luggage appeal. Gene's color palette is based on neutrals which allow women to utilize accessories or other use color choices to complete their look. The price points are very digestible with most pieces under $250.00.

Based and produced in New York City Lola and Sophie is currently in over 300 boutiques and is available online through his website www.lolaandsophie.com

Photos: R.Spiegel

Henri Bendel releases Suite 712 Eau De Parfum

Henri Bendel has just released its latest fragrance "Suite 712" which is now being sold as a Eau De Parfume 3.4oz. Suite 712 brings its name from the address 712 Fifth Avenue, which in fact was the first luxury store to open on fifth.

In a ever constant barrage of scents coming onto the marketplace Suite 712 has achieved something many others have failed to do, it smells fantastic! The blending of such notes as Sparkling Manderin Blossom, Iris, White Sandalwood and Cashmere Musk, just to name a few; makes this Parfum worth the money in my opinion and a great gift for the woman who loves Henri Bendel.

Ruben & Chapelle Fall 2015

For fall 2015 Ruben & Chapelle used Scottish menswear at a launch point for their collection, by utilizing digital manipulation they created beautiful prints from classic tartan and argyle. It's a small offering but comes off strong and concise and furthermore reinforces this design houses mantra of "doing their own thing". The colors are a bit darker from their spring season but the vibe is the same. The only miss where the shoes, the models might have been better off in sandals.  As for the strongest piece, the opening long coat; which we're seeing many from other designers and it's working very well!

Dee Ocleppo Fall 2015

For Dee Hilfiger wife of Tommy Hilfiger this is her second showing of her handbag line Dee Ocleppo which was showcased inside their Plaza apartment and made for a beautiful backdrop for her bags. The fall collection is a move forward in Dee's creativity and it shows in many aspects. Stylish women need stylish bags and the customer she is attracting are like birds of a feather which was evident at the presentation, the Park Ave set was in attendance.

As for the range of bags and clutches it seems endless, from shoulder/backpack bags, yes that's a two-in-one option here to evening clutches with floral prints against deep reds, blues, metallics and mohair treatment bags, it just goes on and on.

The take away from this which is key to any designer is she knows her customer and she's supplying what they need! May it be weekend or evening or daytime it's all there. In the end, it's a serious line and has been picked up by Saks Fifth Avenue and others. The real question is does this line have the momentum to move forward into S/S2016? Put a win bet on Dee Ocleppo, there's more to come.

Photos: R.Spiegel

Jill Haber Fall 2015

The times they are changing in the aspect of accessories designers jumping  on the band wagon and showing fashion editors what they have to offer for the season. Such is the case for handbag designer Jill Haber who showed a standout collection for fall 2015.

It seems Ms. Haber has most of the bases covered and has quite the range of bags for sophisticated ladies who like to venture into the night! What drew me where her evening clutches and 3 dimensional shapes. She's done them via the mixing of materials and has joined together the likes of mother of pearl with wood; done in a high polish finish. You don't have to be a clothes horse to buy these; but the end result makes for a dramatic look to a potential so-so evening dress or the final touch to rule the night.

www.jillhaber.com

Jonathan Cohen S/S2015 WINS!

In a recent tweet Bill Cunningham made a reference between fashion and horse racing, and I could not agree more. Those who know me can only attest to my passion for the sport! I was born into the sport of kings.

I discovered Jonathan Cohen some 4-5 years ago at the Gansevort hotel in a cramped room with a WWD photographer , we both shot the entire collection (the rust) collection. Mr. Cohen has been on my radar ever since, like watching a race horse, and for Spring S/S2015 this collection demonstrates his desire to move forward! Seasons before his ladies loved to party, but time marches forward and they have all grown up! The black gold splash dress stands out and his red carpet killer and he's pushing himself into a more sophisticated evening wear via the floor length gowns. His daywear still embodies the artistic side with his black circle pants; but his blue solo geometric splash dress and black cropped coat indicate a more focused direction.

Now granted this is a much different collection from what I have been used to in the past, and the past is just as good, of note "florals on fire". He's in form and he's moving his way through the pack, but for S/S 2015 it's a gate to wire win!

Photos: Jonathan Cohen

Mathieu Mirano S/S2015

I'm here to report that the house of Mathieu Mirano is doing just fine! There are a few back room changes like a new PR firm and choosing to show off site. For the one's who follow; we know that Mathieu can deliver red carpet high fashion drama, but for spring it seems he's toned in down with some nice solid pieces. Floral elements can been seen which pulls in the spring theme effortlessly. The standout piece for me is the ombre dress, his technique for this could be "perfect"! It's very hard to execute this, but the color gradation is flawless. He also is pulling in some black and white pieces which can only strengthen the line for the season.

Photos:Richard Spiegel

Yves Saint Laurent~The Movie

When it comes to hitting the movie theater i'm not a huge fan and it has to be something really special for me to slap down $13.00 for a film. But there are rare occasions when the fashion community give me something I might just like. Well I'm a fashion person so when this film hit the theater I just had to go, the build up to this film made one believe; it would be something wonderful.

It seems the basis of the film brings to light a few points, first Yves is a delicate individual who needs the comfort of Pierre Berge in order to survive, second how Pierre runs the house of YSL and shows how different there lives together were and lastly how the drug and alcohol destroyed Yves in the end.

If your looking for tons of clothing from the house its not there, the 1980's to present day are not included. No Opium perfume, no Tom Ford, no YSL resignation press speech. In the end a successful failure which leaves much to be answered for. I hate to say it but the popcorn was better than the film, wait for Netflix if it ever makes it.

Pelcor Sunshine Summer Tote Bags

With summer right around the corner Pelcor has just released their new line of summer tote bags which are a combination of canvas and water-resistant cork. This season's color's are Fire, Raw, Turquoise, Lemon, Aqua and hot pink. The variety alone should compliment any current style you might be rocking this summer season and what's even nicer is they only cost $105 on their website www.pelcorUSA.com

MOJO Backpacks "New York City Collection"

Mojo backpacks have just released their "New York City Collection" which puts the big apple in the spotlight! These sturdy and water proof backpacks come in three different designs, Mojo Card, Downtown Subway & City Lights. The best thing of all is that there under $50.00 and can be found at www.mojobackpacks.com. It's a perfect bag for any New Yorker or lover of NYC!

Pamella Roland Limited-Edition Candle

Pamella Roland launches her first limited edition scented signature candle priced at $55.00. The notes consist of Ylang Ylang, Tuberorse, Cedar and Clove offer a sweet earthly environment for you home. The candle can be found on her site pamellaroland.com

CAST Eyewear Fall 2014 Collection

Oh sunglasses how I love em! I do admit I have a slight problem with having sixteen pairs from various designers flooding my drawers and yes i'm running out of space! Now if your looking for a style that's a little off the beaten path check out CAST Eyewear! First off they have that definite wow/pop factor with the style construction of their frames and color of their lenses but with the added celeb following these are certainly going to turn heads!

Magazines like French Elle, Marie Claire Italia and countless others have featured CAST in their pages and as for that Celeb following Rita Ora, Dakota Fanning and Lady Gaga to name a few have been staunch supporters of this line. The price points range around $240 which is cheaper than most designer brands and the frames are limited edition and handmade. Head over to www.casteyewear.com for more information.

Photos: Cast Eyewear

Iris Apfel Loehmann's Bag Signing Event

It's not everyday I get to be in the same room with a fashion legend like Iris Apfel when she is doing a bag signing for her new bag line. It's a small and interesting collection with a great price point starting at $179.00, and for those who got signed bags they just invested in a collectors item! For a woman who is 92, there is NO stopping the legendary Iris, she even has a line on TV. Women like this are simply style treasures! If your looking to get a bag head over to Loehmann's.