#NYFW — Some of My Faves!

Posted on September 24, 2015 by SMM

Oh, you know, just a couple of my fave #NYFW designers……

DESIGUAL’s Spring 2016 collection explored the modern day women who is free-spirited, bold and fun, celebrating the ever-changing face of women! Women, like the many cities we travel to and live in, are ever-changing and endlessly alluring; gleaming in the morning and glowing in the evening. Inspired by the city of Barcelona, BCN, La Ciudad Condal, the charming Mediterranean port town that’s always been home for DESIGUAL, this collection encapsulates the many styles of women.

The brand collaborated with stylist Misha Janette, who used her eclectic style to showcase the daring, fearless, and irreverent woman according to DESIGUAL. Lauro Samblas’, an artist from Barcelona, used colorful pop-inspired collages tapping into his boundless creative freedom to create the backdrop for the collection.

Cosmopolitan and cool, the collection featured layered looks, unusual combinations and left an urban, sophisticated and bold mark: Shirts worn as skirts, hand painted brush stroke prints on oversize blouses, jumpers worn as turbans, A-line midi-skirts with patchwork embroidery, jackets that combine denim, military fabric and embroidery, palazzo pants and ankle grazers, embellished jeans with delicate embroidery and long shirts worn as evening dresses.

Desigual is designed for many types of women with their lust for life, eye for beauty, and passion for self-expression. I am such a fan of not only the looks, but the show itself. Desigual is always a super fun, empowered show to witness firsthand. The energy in the room is undeniable. But the looks too are marvelous and I loved this collection! It’s Desigual thru & thru!

Guests included actresses Laverne Cox; supermodel Karolina Kurkova; 94 year old fashion icon Iris Apfel; fashion photographer and TV personality Nigel Barker and Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe with fiancé Shawn Booth.

PR — Deborah Hughes Inc.

Leanne Marshall

Black silk organza dress with silk mesh draping; Black silk twill dress with layered cutouts; Black silk organza dress

Navy gown with layered silk twill cutout bodice and printed chiffon skirt; Navy silk organza dress with frayed denim and printed chiffon details; Navy short sleeved silk organza dress with frayed denim and printed chiffon details

Sheer light blue silk organza dress with silk chiffon overlay details; Light blue silk chiffon and silk charmeuse spaghetti strap gown with belt detail; & Light blue to ivory ombre silk organza gown with paneled skirt

Ivory textured silk organza gown with silk organza and thread details; Ivory silk gazaar gown with hand painted organza embellishment and foliage belt; Ivory silk gazaar gown with slits and foliage

Kelly green silk twill gown with cutouts & textured silk organza detail & Two-piece gown with silk twill bodice tiered silk organza skirt with silk organza and floral embellishments

So just as Leanne did last season, she took her audience on a narrative fashion journey, this year, underlying themes being Mother Nature. The inspiration for her collection: ‘A dark disconnected world, plagued by excess is wiped out when another Nature takes back what is hers. There is a slow, gradual return to the ease and magic of being alive.” 4 different beauty looks to bring her concept to life.

Section 1, Darkworld

Section 2: Water/Air

Section 3: Earth

Section 4, Nature ReClaims

Such a gorgeous collection. There are not enough words to describe how much I adore these pieces and I am just in awe!

Show credits —

Makeup lead — Janell Geason, Aveda

Hair lead — Jon Reyman for Spoke & Weal

Ivory silk gazaar gown with seafoam bodice details and silk organza draping; Ivory silk gazaar draped bustier with seafoam silk organza skirt; Seafoam silk organza gown with green lace and thread detailing; & Kelly green silk organza gown with flutter sleeve and hand embroidered detail

Nail Design — Patricia Yankee

Shoes — Faryl Robin & Joe South

Royal silk organza gown with full skirt and pleated silk mesh and organza details; Royal silk organza dress with silk organza draping; Royal silk gown with deep V bodice; & Royal blue gown with silk charmeuse Deep V bodice and silk mesh skirt

Floral work — Sachi Rose

Gift Bag Sponsors — BRYK Brand, Castefy, Chapstick, Chloe Wine, Keshima Beauty, Pixie Mood, & Sinful Colors

Music — Dino Moran Dino Moran

Light blue silk organza gown with deep V an draped bodice with spaghetti strap; Multicolored ombre silk organza draped tank dress; Multicolored ombre silk organza dress with of shoulder sleeve detail; & Multicolored ombre silk organza short-sleeved dress with asymmetrical drape

Production — LDJ Productions

PR — Riviere Agency

Black silk organza dress with pleated silk organza detailing; black, white, gray silk organza dress; black short sleevve silk twill dress with black, gray, and white silk organza printed drapes; & black silk twill beaded crop tank with navy and black silk organza and satin faced silk organza skirt

Launch — Design Whisperer

The Designer Whisperer strives to create a platform where artists can receive the recognition they
deserve by bringing more awareness to the creative individuals who are building the future of fashion at no cost. The hope is to bridge the gap between mainstream luxury fashion and independent brands by providing insight into the industry with trade coverage, designer profiles and industry news.

Sponsors: Bruce Cost Ginger Ale, H2-Melon and The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Photography — Garvin of Revenge Fashion Magazine

Desigual Cordially Invites You to Embrace the Love!

Posted on February 22, 2014 by SMM

When Le Vida Es Chula (When life is beautiful), love is always in the air. This is a great motto to stand behind and to also be an inspirational story for this great Fall 2014 collection that is Desigual. Going along with the same note as “love”, this collection was inspired by the love of the hometown for the brand, Barcelona. Desigual decided to get back to the basics with a “personal collection that reflects the enduring optimism found there.” Further, “the collection reflects the metropolis’ overlooked curiosities & magic — & tempts them to fall in love again with the places & things they think they know, but have no more to offer than what lives in their minds.”

Circular print shift dress with transparent tulle yoke & trapezoidal bowler-style bag

Satin dress showing iconic organic rosette with two-toned carryall tote

Long-sleeved raglan shift dress in black crepe printed w/ over-sized lady face illustration

With inspirations such as a big city, a major metropolis, one might think architecture & structural elements. But for Desigual, with love comes levity & for this fall/winter season “it feels brighter & less baroque.” The brand took note of ports, the Gaudi buildings, but remember, the goal was to point out the city’s magic, its overlooked curiosities. This would mean for a building, you focus on the kaleidoscope feel and look at the faces of the city-dwellers.

Over-sized face on minimalistic neoprene silhouette with over-sized illustration in two-toned embossed anthracite

Mini-dress with sequined skirt & double-layered blouson top printed with 50s fashion figures

Boat-necked A-line dress in iridescent satin plaid Jacquard w/ gold appliques @ the pockets

Iconic kaleidoscope mandala cotton dress with sequin embellishments & a velvet bow at the waist

Desigual - Runway - Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2014

With every collection and underlying inspirations there also comes a color palette/story. Desigual colors are always bright and fun and this season is no different. The looks are filled with popping violets, subtle navies, warm hunter greens, and bold burgundies. Of course there are also pops of some basics in black, white, gold, and red.

Geometric printed fit dress w/ mid-length sleeves, french pockets, high-waisted, & a slightly flared skirt

A-line Jacquard dress with contrasting colors and pockets @ the hip

Geometric African print in metals & earth tones on a long-sleeved, mid-calf, body-con dress

Silk asymmetrical maxi wrapdress with a layered left lapel & illustration of faces on a polka dot background, also with additional flowing silk strips of burgundy & fire-red @ hip

Colors and patterns are always a key focus, but one can’t overlook the textures and silhouettes within this collection. The pieces are draped & tailored into minimalist simplicity, which radiates positivity in sumptuous jacquard, tulle, & wool. Dresses are essential to the collection, in both form-fitting jersey mini-dresses and flowing maxi-dresses, which embody a 70’s style inspiration. I am such a sucker & fan for maxi dresses and the ones in this collection are to die for!!

Two-toned Jacquard A-line dress with silk turquoise shoulder details

Jacquard sporty bomber jacket w/ contrasting raglan sleeves & a geometric Jacquard patchwork dress

Dropped shoulder maxi dress in printed silk w/ artisan embroidery

Take a look also at the metallic festive-wear. The common trends & aesthetics are seen, but we are introduced to separates for the collection & some shimmering trousers! Very fun and of course festive!

Lightweight blouse w/ asymmetrical pop-art print of a lady’s face & polka dots, & trousers w/ galactic printed lame finish w/ a mandala printed sling bag

Hints of Mexican modernism, silk-blend top w/ a straight trouser in lame flora & fauna design

Long-sleeved, boat neck, short black jacket w/ hand-embroidered gold sequins, back of jacket & sleeves in gold lame, long black wide trousers in Jacquard w/ gold lame finish

Silk black maxi-dress with artisan embroidered gold sequins in baroque motifs

Then, don’t overlook the chic graphic coats. The coats & jackets are another aspect in the collection that is just spectacular, sophistication, but overlying the elements of fun in the collection.

Textured patchwork swing coat w/ a rabbit fur collar & one-of-a-kind jewel buttons

Hounds-tooth jacket with velvet flocking & black Punto-Roma shift dress w/ hounds-tooth circular appliques

Op-art over-sized polka dot Jacquard swing coat with full-length zipper

Generally a show is packed with major celebs, but it’s a step above when the runway models are also celebs in their own rights. And who could be any better than Candice Swanepoel, famous Victoria’s Secret model, who opened & closed the show.

Mini A-line dress in matte stretch satin w/ pop-art floral print on top of large polka dots

Kaleidoscope grey/black/white toned wrap coat with over-sized collar & leather details

Minidress in brown & copper-tones w/ stretch tulle yoke, crystal details & golden embroidery

Short-sleeved golden lame structured dress with a lowered waist & pleated above-the-knee skirt

There were some high profile names in attendance for the show as well! Those in attendance included Karolina Kurkova (wearing a Desigual jacket), Siva Kaneswaran of “The Wanted”, Jill Zarin, Adrienne Bailon of a new talk show “The Real” (wearing a Desigual dress), Jackie Cruz & Vicky Jeudy (each wearing Desigual, dress & jacket) of “Orange is the New Black”, and Stassi Schroeder (wearing a Desigual dress) of “Vanderpump Rules.”

A few other special shout-outs are for the gorgeous beauty looks with hair & make-up. The sometimes subtle, although other times dramatic make-up looks were created by M.A.C. Cosmetics team. The looks certainly were compatible with the overall vibe of the Desigual collection in that of a fun & fresh girl. The hair was styled by Danilo, the Pantene celebrity stylist & global ambassador. Great job for all of the flowing waves and curls!