Snippets of fashion and beauty

Fashion Week spring 2012: BCBGMAXAZRIA

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Countdown: The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City

Only a few more days until the opening of the much-anticipated The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City on West Reno near Council. Who plans to be there at 8 a.m. Friday?

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Leasing and grand opening information about The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City’s fashion faithful are ready. Ready for the new Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City to open. It won’t be much longer.  I got a preview of the center Thursday morning. Here’s what you need to know:

* Opening date is Aug. 5.

* The center is on West Reno near Council.

* Special hours for grand opening weekend will be 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

* Opening weekend entertainment will include a meet-and-greet with Marvel Comics Captain America and Spiderman, Voler Thieves of Fight Aerial and Acrobatic Performance Collective, musician Jamie Bramble, ballet performers, gymnastics demonstrations, face painters, a caricature artist, Salsa dancers and more.

* 83 stores, including  Coach, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, DKNY, BCBG Max Azria and Michael Kors.

* It’s 100 percent leased.  “This is very, very rare to open a shopping center 100 percent leased,” said Gina Slechta, vice president of marketing for Horizon Group Properties, developer of the project. “It speaks well to the Oklahoma economy.”

* Expect sidewalk sales, maybe on the big holidays Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day.

* The center will open at midnight on Thanksgiving, after being closed during the day for the holiday, Slechta said.

* The open-air racetrack design is easy to maneuver and the center has several covered areas, giving shoppers protection from the elements.

* There will be a children’s play area and a food court, as well as other eateries in the center. Smashburger fans, rejoice.

* Shoppers are expected to come from Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.

* This is the largest retail facility to open this year in the U.S., according to the International Council of Real Estate.

* There’s room for expansion.

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Trunk shows at On A Whim

Here’s what’s on the schedule at On A Whim at Classen Curve. If you haven’t been in the store before, or haven’t been in since it moved to its larger, current location, wait no more. One of these trunk shows is the perfect excuse — if you really need one — to check it out.  There’s a look to see and enjoy.

Through July 20: Rebecca Taylor fall transitional trunk show.

July 8: Tom Ford sunglasses trunk show.

July 11: Me and Ro jewelry

July 18:  Joie sportswear

Aug. 26: Genetic denim

Info: 848-3488.

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Zoya nail polish gets “cameo” in “Black Swan”

I haven’t seen the movie “Black Swan,” but I have heard about a certain product placement. 

 A bottle of nail polish can be seen on the dressing table as Nina (Natalie Portman) prepares in her dressing room for a gala.  The polish is Zoya and the color is Bela, a delicate shade of pink.

 So, if you want to be pretty in pink, grab a bottle and start polishing. Cost is $7.

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Fit for a queen … Kate Middleton’s style choices

The world seems to be going crazy for Kate Middleton and Prince William. 

 Her style is well publicized, and I doubt the press will let up.  Check out this slide show of pictures showing her style. What do you think? And how about those hats? I love them.

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Fashion Week: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Nanette Lepore, Isaac Mizrahi

NEW YORK (AP) — Here’s a round-up of the shows that wrapped up spring 2011 Fashion Week.

 CALVIN KLEIN

Easy, fluid and chic have been three of the favorite words at New York Fashion Week — and that was before the Calvin Klein collection debuted. Now, you can add sexy, smart and glamorous.

Minimal has long been the mantra of Calvin Klein, but Franciso Costa made the most for spring of each fold of fabric. He showed a masterful understanding of how clothes look on the body, and how to use that to the wearer’s advantage. A delicate little tie hugged the models wearing pleated dresses, and the silk crepe V-neck dress was evocative of a slinky-yet-sophisticated robe.

The one potential misstep was the extra chunk of fabric added to already long-length trousers. But one reminder of the back-wrap silk halter dress that opened the show, and all is forgiven.

And those racer-back gowns were oh-so sultry. Will we see front-row guest Katie Holmes in one of them soon?

Costa doesn’t normally pay much attention to trends but this time he nailed the defining look of the season.

Ralph Lauren for spring 2011.

RALPH LAUREN

Ralph Lauren’s romance with the American West continues. The twists on this runway were the silver sparkle, the ultra-luxe deerskin and sheer fabrics turning up in unexpected places.

Lauren employed traditional touches, such as leather fringe and oversized belt buckles, but there was a freshness and femininity to the clothes, especially the lace pieces.

A beautiful tulle embroidered blouse with a high neck, worn with an off-white leather fringed jacket and off-white linen shorts with crochet stripes down the side, kicked off the show and set the mood. Lauren’s days at the ranch are far more glamorous than your typical cowboy — there might be a need for a deerskin, beaded vest or fringed pants.

For evening, there was a honey-colored beaded, fringed long skirt with an embroidered blouse with hand crochet details, and a blush-pink georgette gown with gentle ruffles and unfinished edges around the V-neck.

Isaac Mizrahi for spring 2011.

ISAAC MIZRAHI

Isaac Mizrahi couldn’t be bothered with little details — bows, buttons, pockets and the like — for his spring styles?

Mizrahi called his collection “IM Xerox,” and most of the embellishment, save the sequins, were printed onto the fabric.

The opening look had those scan-effect pockets and buttons, another outfit had a faux corsage. A fashion-forward celebrity could wear the black strapless column gown with the illusion bow around the bust and generate some headlines.

Mizrahi then substituted collars and cuffs with jewelry. It was typical playful, inventive Mizrahi.

Then there were the styles that largely fit into this season, the sheer blush-colored coat over a ladylike strapless dress, the pajama pants-and-tunic combination in a pink floral print and the tuxedo, his done with a short jacket and polka-dot pants.

Proenza Schouler for spring 2011.

PROENZA SCHOULER

From day to the dark of night, Proenza Schouler has its girls covered.

The spring collection presented Wednesday night by designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez moved almost seamlessly from tweed suits to bra tops, only skipping a few beats with a loose dress or two with some misplaced ruffles around the middle.

The skirt suits stayed youthful thanks to strategic flashes of neon brights and mix-and-match textures, while the lingerie looks were always above board because they were romantic — even suggestive — but not bawdy. A languid trouser was paired with a black-and-white tweed chiffon jacket, and some blouson dresses featured an ink-blot print.

The duo hit many of the must-haves to come out of these spring previews: the pants of the season, the mismatched textures, a hint of the boudoir, said Kristina O’Neill, Harper Bazaar’s executive editor, “but they nailed the trends in a very Proenza way.”

Nanette Lepore for spring 2011.

NANETTE LEPORE

Nanette Lepore gave the weary fashion crowd the respite they were looking for: soothing music, thanks to John Forte and his three-man band; wearable, adorable clothes and an overall relaxed vibe.

No thumping, pumping sounds, nothing complicated or fussy on the runway.

Lepore’s spring collection furthered the upbeat attitude of this round of previews, but hers perhaps was one of the most relatable shows for consumers. The model in the rose beaded sundress could have just continued off that catwalk, caught a cab and gone shopping or to a museum or to meet a friend. The friend, perhaps, was in the shell drawstring coat and striped sweater dress.

Lepore, by nature, seems not to be a big risktaker, but she knows what her fans like and she does it well and with consistency. She hit on the retooling of the ‘70s and the tropical palette that have emerged as trends

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Fashion Week Spring 2011: BCBG, Rag & Bone, Jill Stuart, Nicole Miller, Lacoste

NEW YORK  (AP) — Here’s a round-up of the first couple of days of Fashion Week in New York.

Rag and Bone for spring 2011.

RAG & BONE

Enough with the tough-girl or buttoned-up stuff: The Rag & Bone woman is ready for an adventure.

You have to hope, though, that when she’s skydiving or Bungee-jumping, she’ll pull the right ripcord and not have her parachute pants fall down. Don’t worry, these aren’t the too-baggy ’80s parachutes — they were inspired by the real deal, with rugged zippers, straps and lace-up details.

But for the yin yang that is emerging as a must-have, designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville offered crafty macrame looks, in colorful prints and luxe camel, that perhaps would be the souvenirs for their globe-trotting muse.

The palette was rooted in white, though, another popular trend during the second day of previews.

There were touches of glamour here, too — good for a girl’s night life. A gauze, mint-colored shirt was paired with silver trousers, and a sand-colored suede top was worn with a silver lame skirt that had an opposites-attract white eyelet hemline.

BCBG for spring 2011.

BCBG

Max Azria did some spring cleaning on his runway.

With no bells and whistles, the lingering look of the spring collection came from the little bit of flounce that trailed behind the models in loose white- and sand-colored minidresses and jumpsuits.

The silhouettes were airy and ethereal. Who couldn’t use a little linen dress with a bit of embroidery that could be the key piece of a weekend-getaway wardrobe?

The one potential stumbling block for many of the pieces was the super-short length. Presumably, when they hit stores, that will be adjusted, but for the likes of model Coco Rocha and actress Ashlee Simpson — both in the front row — the fingertip-length dresses would be cute.

Easier for mere mortals might be the maxi dresses, including the white silk seersucker dress with a plunging V on both the front and back that opened the show.

Jason Wu for spring 2011.

JASON WU

What white gown?

Designer Jason Wu will forever be linked — and surely thankful — to Michelle Obama for the white, one-shoulder gown he designed for the inaugural balls. But fast-forward almost two years, and Wu is a fashion force in his own right, with a stylish spring collection, new lines of handbags and shoes, a beauty collaboration (CND nail polish) and his own logo: an owl.

In a walk-up space in SoHo with a fancy curved blue runway that mimicked a stream that had “bridges” over it, the models were dressed mostly in elegant sheaths, feminine blouses and pleated trousers. Wu showed his lighter side, too: He mixed ‘80s-style bold stripes on knit pullovers with a floral chiffon draped skirt, and a floral oxford shirt unexpectedly complemented a petal-covered, gray-and-black skirt.

One lime-colored dress with a petal bustier might have gone too far on the whimsical side. Put it this way, one can’t imagine Mrs. Obama in it.

In his notes, Wu explained his choice of the owl, which he dubbed Miss Wu. It’s one of his favorite animals, both familiar and playful, he said. “Wu … Wuuu.”

Get it?

Jill Stuart spring 2011

JILL STUART

Jill Stuart plans on starting next spring with a clean slate. The new look she debuted was a drastic shift from the goth-slash-Stevie Nicks-inspired styles of seasons past.

Stuart turned out a collection of ladylike-yet-youthful pieces. Her feminine, dreamy muse was still there, but she’s done some growing up.

The white, ivory and sandy shades forwarded the optimism that has emerged in this round of seasonal previews for retailers, editors and stylists — and so did the peek-a-boo sheers (of particular note was a white-tipped, sheer-black ‘50s-style party dress), shifts and shorts suits. And Stuart offered some chic spring outerwear, including a navy evening cape, and the trend-right tuxedo and satiny high-neck blouses.

Apparently, Stuart is a woman with many fans from the world of reality TV. Kim and Kourtney Kardashian had seats in the front row, setting off a frenzy, and Tinsley Mortimer and “The City” stars took their places nearby.

Nicole Miller spring 2011.

NICOLE MILLER

Nicole Miller went for an elegant, layered look.

Thin fabrics were used in a subdued palette ranging from ivory to gray to black.

An ivory jacket was worn over a long khaki silk georgette blouse and a satin chiffon dress. A pair of black shorts were cut just above the knee, giving them a very city chic look.

But there were also long flowy gowns. A chiffon dress had a prism print on it, while a jacket had cutout shoulders revealing the skin.

VIVIENNE TAM

Vivienne Tam looked east for inspiration for her spring 2011 collection, a line she dubbed “the new silk road.”

The collection was heavy on lace and patchwork in a slouchy, loose style that gave off a modern bohemian vibe.

Tam’s clothes were fit for a global traveler — the cotton lace patchwork minidresses and jackets that opened the show would have been as at home in a Parisian market as on the Silk Road.

In notes left for editors, stylists and retailers gathered for New York Fashion Week, Tam dedicated the show to the people who survived devastating floods this summer in China and Pakistan.

Lacoste spring 2011

LACOSTE

Lacoste turned to its tennis-design past, outfitting models in a modern take on decades-old tennis pants. The high-waisted pants were baggy in the thigh and tapered at the ankle.

“I was thinking of always this 1930s, 20s tennis look of Rene Lacoste, with pleated flannel white pants, tennis pants … and making it contemporary,” designer Christophe Lemaire said.

Lemaire’s show, his final one for the brand, featured boxy, geometric, clean shapes with a lot of white, cream, orange, tan, red and black. He also used different textures like net, cotton and nylon.

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Neiman Marcus lists the best accessory trends for fall

We just closed the lights on a long Memorial Day weekend, but for those in the fashion business, it’s often about the next season. That means fall.

With that in mind, Neiman Marcus compiled its list of the season’s best trends. Animal print is essential, but keep it in mind that it doesn’t have to be a new pair of leopard print Louboutin stilettos, reports Fashion Wire Daily. The key is knowing to buy animal print anything.

Here are a  few more important fall 2010 trends highlighted at Neiman Marcus’ latest accessories preview on  May 13 in New York. Thursday, reports FWD:

Military influences. From army green to epaulettes, brass buttons and chunky boots with camouflage prints, tough military details are still going strong.

Fur. A controversial material, yet designers can’t seem to get enough of it. Go for the faux if your conscience and your wallet preclude purchasing the real thing. Look for fur-trimmed booties, curly astrakhan-style fur purses and “Nanook of the North” fur vests.

Lace. Leave it to the European designers to give us the best takes on lace, whether it’s a spectacular lace print rubber rain boot by Valentino (could soggy weather be more fashionable?) or a delicate Victorian-esque lace bootie by Dior.

Feathers. Manolo Blahnik’s sophisticated d’Orsay sandals flutter with feathers, while ostrich plumes look luxe on everything from a Lanvin handbag to an exclusive-to-Neiman’s feather stole by Ilana Wolf.

A wardrobe of boots. That’s right, not a pair, but a full wardrobe of boots are necessary for fall. Why? Because there are too many fantastic pairs to choose from, from tall wedge boots by Chanel and Marni to Alexander Wang’s anything-but-boring flat boots with a killer sculptured heel. And Givenchy is still making splurge-worthy buckled booties that are guaranteed to be on every fashion editor’s must-have list for fall.

The structured handbag. Bulky hobo bags are banished and sleek is chic with these proper purses.

Pearls. Conservative, boring pearls are a thing of the past with chunky, layered designs by Vera Wang, Alexis Bittar and Lanvin. But the best pearls, mixing edgy black chain links with the pale glossy baubles, are Roxanne Assoulin for Lee Angel, though any mixed-media pearl concoction can work, too.

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Fashion Week: Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Luca Luca and more

New York  Fashion Week for fall 2010 continues through Thursday. Here are more reviews.

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CAROLINA HERRERA

For a while, it seemed Carolina Herrera was trying to court a more hipster customer but she showed Monday that she is firmly committed to the rarified world in which she lives and works.

There was luxury like a Prussian-blue, mosaic-print jacket with fur lining and a mink collar, worn with camel-colored suede pants, and a sky-and-steel blue gown with beaded leaves and a swath of tulle around the neck.

There was a hint of a Russian influence to the overall look of the show, in her color choices, fur and style of embroidery. The daywear models also wore full-brim hats.

The Herrera lady — “woman” doesn’t sound quite right — is a day-and-night dresser, not a day-to-night one. Look for her in a deep red wool sheath with asymmetrical vertical pleats for day, and a distinctly different black-and-metallic embossed organza gown with a hint of red framing the face in the evening.

ZAC POSEN

It’s the real world and now Zac Posen is living in it. The first model on his runway Monday morning wore a fully wearable, thoroughly sophisticated, portrait-neck cape in camel-colored felt, smart trousers and a creamy silk blouse.

In fact, the former flashy showman, who has recently chronicled in the press his struggles to lead a viable business, turned out a mostly understated, chic collection. It might not be full of head-turners, but the clothes aren’t as polarizing as, say, his tornado-inspired gowns a few seasons ago.

As wild as it got here were some copper metallics, pink-dot prints and magenta-colored fur — a refreshing break from the largely neutral palette that has been dominating this round of previews for stylists, editors and retailers.

Posen partnered with violinist Miri Ben-Ari to provide a live, serene soundtrack. He also seemed to stick to a recent commitment to seek out older models — by industry standards that means 18, maybe 16 — to avoid those who are too thin. And he seemed to stick by it, hiring veterans Alek Wek, Hana Soukupova, Sessilee Lopez and Coco Rocha.

RACHEL ROY

Rachel Roy’s outfits that demanded the most attention featured slightly tarnished metallics, including a gold, crochet-style dress and jacket, a black sheath decorated with gold, almost-serpentine beads, and a high-shine patchwork gold skirt worn with a gold-lace tank.

But daywear is the base of her collection that has steadily gained a following in recent seasons, spawning a secondary, more affordable line with Macy’s.

Stylish professional clothes included an open, pleated cashmere cardigan and cropped trousers (and a sheer jersey bodysuit for extra attention), a slouchy brick-red, wrap coat, and a delicate black lace blouse with high-waisted navy wool trousers. You’d need a blazer — of which there were several — on top of that last outfit for the office.

LUCA LUCA

A silver taffeta trench coat and a reversible gray one made partially of lacquered cotton are two nice bookends to the Luca Luca story for next season.

Designer Raul Melgoza said he wanted to offer a collection of fall clothes at New York Fashion Week that paid homage to “the diverse roles of women in society.”

The front row included the label’s founding designer Luca Orlandi and his wife, model Oluchi. The handoff of creative duties happened in 2008.

Melgoza honored the house’s signature cocktail dresses with a light, fluttery dress made of gray silk lame and wool, and a liquidlike silver lame gown with a deep cowl neck and open back.

Runway reality came in the form of more office-friendly styles, such as a blue wool sheath with pleated silk insets, and an old-school, ivory-colored georgette blouse paired with a black leather skirt that was neither too tight nor too short.

THAKOON

Is the fashion crowd going to cheer for Thakoon Panichgul’s pompoms?

The designer, whose label is known as just Thakoon, traded the colorful prints he’s used in recent seasons for texture, including fur, velvet, leather and those pompoms, which dangled from the hems of dresses and decorated a jacket worn over a knit, pompom and ruffle skirt.

Panichgul emphasized the mixed-fabric, layered look at his show on Sunday in a downtown studio space. It’s a trend that has emerged halfway through the fashion previews for the fall.

Fur also has had a strong presence, but, so far, no one but Panichgul colored it like tiger stripes.

Overall, this collection was somewhat uneven. Panichgul was seemingly torn between the “young designer” status he’s now had for so long, the name recognition he enjoys having dressed first lady Michelle Obama on many occasions, and the need to evolve into a more established craftsman who can cater to the fashion-forward and luxury market crowds.

REBECCA TAYLOR

Rebecca Taylor’s vision for fall 2010 means a healthy dose of masculinity.

The New Zealand native delivered a collection Sunday that tempered her girly look with touches of menswear.

The clothes, in navy, gray, olive and black, combined tweed with silk, mohair with chiffon, and feathery fringe with wool. Cozy brown cable sweaters, reminiscent of those worn by grandfathers of another era, were reimagined in shorter lengths with braided collar trims and backward V-necks.

The masculine feel was emphasized by oversized tuxedo blouses and skinny wool trousers that were paired with faux-fur jackets in animal prints. An oatmeal sweater, covered with layers of knit ruffles, was shown with a silk blouse that the designer called “granddad.” And more than a few models, their bombshell cat eyes emphasized by heavy liner, contrasted the look with black wool bowler hats and structured handbags in faded colors of nubuck.

Front-row admirers Carmen Electra, Kristen Bell, Michelle Trachtenberg, Mena Suvari and Sophia Bush, who applauded enthusiastically as Taylor took her finale bow.

DOO.RI

Doo.Ri Chung for fall is a study in contrast. Very sparkly, wearable contrast.

The designer took her favorite flowing jersey to an edgier place Friday in a collection of jackets, tops, down-to-the-floor skirts and a variety of dresses that were shirt-style, sheath and slouchy.

Fox fur and bold, plastic sequins — and a touch of leather — trimmed up a runway dominated by dark and steely blues, camel, grays and graphite, some shown over skinny, military-style pants and crystal leggings paired with heavy black and handpainted shoes.

Chung also offered some fitted looks in sporty, asymmetrical blazers, with a few stunning pieces in color: A belted, red alpaca lapel coat over a silk pleated dress high on the list. Pleats, at the back of long skirts, in a geranium V-neck blouse and on suede jersey pants, loomed as large as the glittery lips on her models and her newfound aggression in trims.

CUSTO BARCELONA

Custo Barcelona has gone hairy.

The loud, colorful Spanish label showed a collection inspired by “hairy metal.” It was a mishmash of shaggy fur and patterns delivered in extremes: ultra-short minis, leather hotpants, extra-shaggy fur and cropped jackets with knuckle-grazing sleeves.

The brand, which landed in the fashion world with its graphic T-shirt interpretations of California surfer-wear, has wandered far from its roots. Save for the brightly patterned leggings, everything else for this autumn was mired in just how many ways shaggy fur can be weaved into an outfit.

The result was a line that seemed to reference the movie “Where the Wild Things Are,” but only if Max had dreamed in swirls and metallics.

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