FERRAGAMO VARA - AN ICON IS REBORN- L'ICONA

OLIVIA PALERMO WEAR CUSTOM L'ICONA FERRAGAMO VARAS IN PARISLong before Carrie Bradshaw's obsession with Manolo Blahnik and the Red Sole Diaries of Mr. Louboutin, the most famous shoe maker in the world was making bank with a classic shoe women around the world were collecting in their closet.   The Ferragamo Vara was instantly retro and right on trend.

WWW.ICONA.FERRAGAMO.COM

Salvatore Ferragamo was the premiere shoe maker in Hollywood, from the day he opened his Hollywood Boot Shop back in the 1930's.   MODEL JESSICA HART AT THE FERRAGAMO L'ICONA LAUNCH PARTY IN NYCThe avant-garde visionary who created the stiletto for Marilyn Monroe, tFERRAGAMO VARA ICONA CUSTOMIZED SHOES - $550.00he Ballet Flat for Audrey Hepburn, the wedge for Judy Garland, and on and on, Ferragamo never saw a foot he couldn't create a work of art for.  Thirty five years ago, Ferragamo's eldest daughter and design partner, Fiamma, created a flat shoe for women to wear with the look of the moment - cropped pants!   The Vara was born.   The iconic bow and the made in Italy quality made these shoes must haves.   Fast forward thirty five years, and the House of Ferragamo is one of the biggest fashion empires in the world.   With over 600 stores globally, to say the name Ferragamo means "luxury shoes" around the world is a fact.  May 1st, 2013 marks the re-launch of the Vara Icon.  L'Icona is a dedicated website and media blitz that celebrates the launch of the custom Vara program, giving the woman who has everything a chance to have something that no one else has!  Custom Shoes.   With several hundred combinations of colors, bows, and skins, L'ICONA is the perfect first pair of Varas for the young fashion girl - or the ultimate gift to the devoted Ferragamo fan.   The launch features 21 gorgeous and talented socialites, models, and celebrities sharing their own customized Varas over the course of 21 days!  Watch sneak peak of the video from www.icona.ferragamo.com below:

COLORFUL CAMO - BIG SPRING TREND

J.CREW MILITARY JACKETIn the fashion world, there are iconic references that return again and again every few years. MEN'S CAMO PANT AT NORDSTROM While they never really disappear completely, some years they appear in so many collections - they are a bona-fide trend.   More noticeable than cut or style, it's colors and patterns that steal the headlines.   Pinstripe, Hounds tooth, Paisley, and Prince of Wales Plaid are great examples.   One that has less sophisticated or designer roots is Military and Camouflage patterns. VALENTINO CAMO TOTE - SAKS 5TH AVENUE  Inspired from the platoons of every armed forces around the world, using the pattern in fashion collections is an obviously ironic choice.  Taking a most utilitarian design, one in fact designed NOT to be seen, and turning that into a fashion statement.  The ultimate irony.

In the last month, NYC has been awash in Military style jackets and Camouflage prints.  VALENTINO CAMO SNEAKERS I take the subway often between Brooklyn and ManELIZABETH & JAMES CAMO JEANS hattan and every train is full of hipsters representing the trend.   More often - women do military jackets, guys do camo.   However, this year it has crossed over - girls and boys both doing every style.   Backpacks, pants, tights, jackets, and bags - all in camo, from every price point.

On the runway,SALVATORE FERRAGAMO MILITARY JACKET, KNIT, & SKIRT - W MAGAZINE - PHOTO: KAI Z FENG the trend is of course the most sophisticated.   Massimiliano Giornetti at Ferragamo reinvented the trench coat for his Women's Spring 2013 collection.   The color palette was unmistakably military, and serves as an excellent backdrop for Camouflage accessories.  

Best worn in limited quantities, camo usually serves as the only print in any ensemble.   It's a great way to perk up solid earth tones or autumnal colors of brown,TOMS SHOES - CAMO MESH AT NEIMAN MARCUS orange, beige, and green.

Some brands that have chic pieces covering the look:  TOMS, VALENTINO, Figue, FERRAGAMO, Dockers, MILITARY CHIC NOMAD BY FIGUE William Rast, & Jack Spade.

Wearing DOCKERS CAMO PANTS one of these pieces might make you walk a little straighter and stand a little taller.   Even if it doesn't, it will make you look cool and relevant this Spring!

The look is not limited to clothing.  EverythingWILLIAM RAST BACKPACK from dopp kits, wallets, boots, watches, and socks are offered in every shade of camo for guys and girls.

We might have the house of Christian Dior to thank for this latest camo craze.  Two years ago the house hired artist Anselm Reye to jumpstart some excitementZADIGE & VOLTAIRE CAMO CASHMERE with the Dior accessories.   His vision was pop art camo prints that made their debut at Art Basil in Miami.  The buzz worked.   Those pieces JACK SPADE CAMO WATCH sold out quickly!

*Click on images to learn more about featured styles or to shop the look.*  

*Click designer links to visit company website and see their camo or military look.*

FIGUE-ER THE LOOK FOR YOUR SPRING HOLIDAY

FIGUE - SEASONLESS / CHIC / WEARABLEWhere do you go to get away in the Spring?  Beaches of Mexico?  West coast of Sri Lanka?  The DR?  NO matter where you escape to - an easy, breezy wardrobe is a good idea to plan before your trip. STEPHANIE von WATZDORF - SUPER CHIC WORLD TRAVELLER AND CREATOR OF FIGUE  Chic, sexy, and just plain cool, the whole look can be put together via the hottest new collection to come out of NYC in a long time.  Stephanie von Watzdorf's -FIGUE is a welcomed contrast to the overdone looks bombarding fashion fans around the world.  Relaxed, but styled, sophisticated but playful.   Working with Tory Burch to create that collection from the beginning, Stephanie gave the luxe bohemian edge to the mainline prep look Tory knows so well.  Now Stephanie has created a collection is all hers.  FIGUE is seasonless, and sold online  - the way more and more women dress, and shop.   Click over to FIGUE now, before you hit the beach.   Don't have your next trip booked? - put together the look that will take you away from it all - once you commit!   Where is my sunscreen?  *CLICK IMAGES TO SHOP*FIGUE COLLECTION - GLOBAL / CHIC / WEARABLE

FINALLY FENDI!

FENDI SPRING 2013 BY KARL LAGERFELDThe FENDISpring 2013 campaign is beautiful!  It's great to see one of Rome's premiere houses (now part of LVMH) shining bright this season.   So many times the collection sits in the shadow of that other project of designer Karl Lagerfeld.. you know.. a little company called CHANEL!   The French house of all things Couture is a global phenomenon, and Karl's creative process clearly starts onRue Cambon and eventually trickles over to Rome. 

FENDI SPRING 2013 BY KARL LAGERFELD1973 Lagerfeld started his design collaboration with the FENDI sisters.  Forty years later (Amazing!!), Karl maintains the collaboration with this Roman house of Luxury fashion.   Too many times though, FENDI can feel like CHANEL lite.  If CHANEL has wide belts, then FENDI has wide belts.   Bag in a bag this year at CHANEL?  Then it's bag in a bag next year at FENDI.  To be fair, designers all over the world copy Karl's designs at CHANEL.  I guess it makes sense Karl does it himself!FENDI - 2JOUR MEDIUM SATCHEL - $2,890.00

It's not a mystery, Karl Lagerfeld's rebirth of CHANEL in 1983 would ultimately change the face of the fashion world.  Karl's vision of COCO CHANEL's legacy achieved a level of success that surprised everyone in the industry.   It also was not an overnight game changer.   In the nineties, CHANEL had started it's own stable of brands a la LVMH or PPR (Soon to be Kering).   CHANEL financially backed the NY based designer Isaac Mizrahi, bought the legendary British game-hunting gunmaker  Holland & Holland,  acquired designer bathing suit company ERES, and FENDI BAGUETTE - SPRING 2013 - $2,190.00even planned a launch of a lower priced collection for CHANEL-aptly named BEIGE.  It did not come to fruition.   Then came the birth of the handbag obsession.  Luxury brands across the world quickly realized the growing potential for millions of new clients that could aspire to be clients of the most exclusive brands in the world via a handbag.   The bags served a dual purpose, 1) spreading the brands fame and 2) garnering huge profits at the same time.   All the other projects fell by the way side and CHANEL became the worlds ultimate luxury fashion brand.  Eres remains a star in the CHANEL universe.

FENDI spring 2013 is graphic, modern, and colorful.  While I'm often critical of Karl's shoulders at CHANEL (round and challenging) - at Fendi they are crisp and flattering.  The use of feathers and fur and color is exotic and just beautiful.   The colorful FENDI TIMEPIECES are unique - at a time when watches are all blending in.CHANEL SPRING 2013 BY KARL LAGERFELD - FASHION THERAPY SESSION? FILL IN THE BLANK - "WHY DID I ...."

The CHANEL campaign is always beautiful.  This season it seems the CHANEL girl is in Japan.  One shot even looks as if we are in on a Japanese therapy session.   Think Tatami mats instead of a Chesterfield Sofa!     Well.. in keeping with a therapy session - I want you to think about what we discussed and how it makes you feel - that's all the time we have for today!  

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