a day with Christian Louboutin!

[marymount fashionistas + neiman marcus employees with Mr. Louboutin]

this weekend, i had the pleasure of meeting world famous shoe designer, Mr. Christian Louboutin (yes, his name deserves capitals!), at neiman marcus, tyson's corner. the event was open to anyone who had purchased a pair of louboutin's within the week at that particular location. (keep in mind: a pair of his shoes usually costs between the prices of $500-$1,500!) luckily for me and two of the other fashion students, dana doughten and kelliann caulfield, we staffed the event and in return were able to meet him as a thank-you from neiman marcus. 

by the time the event started, there were at least 300 people in line to meet Mr. Louboutin. at first, the line was barely moving and everyone was complaining. literally, within the first hour, only about 10 people actually passed through the line. for those in a rush to go somewhere, it wasn't exactly the best situation but for those who had the whole night free (like me!), it was actually a good thing. what customers didn't realize (until it was their turn), was that Mr. Louboutin was taking his time with each customer. once someone would go up with their pair of shoes, he would not only sign them but briefly tell them a little history about that particular style of shoe. to Mr. Louboutin, every shoe has a story behind it and he wanted his customers to know just exactly what it was. in addition, he wasn't just scribbling his name... he actually took the time to sign his name and then go back and color in certain areas (like the center of the letter o) with other markers. talk about customization!

overall, it was a wonderful event and i have so much respect for Christian Louboutin. all of his shoes are so wonderfully crafted and thoroughly designed. he takes an idea and then pushes it to the extreme. the fact that he took so much time with his customers reflected real well on him. he did not get up once from his seat to go to the bathroom, he did not stop for a quick lunch break, he did not make any absurd requests. from 1pm to 6pm, his time was dedicated to his fans.

[top neiman marcus sales employee with her special reward solo shot with christian louboutin]

One Final (Cat)Walk Down Bryant Park…

[Copyright: Pictures above taken by Lydia Russo]

After sixteen wonderful years, Mayor Bloomberg recently announced that this will be the final year for New York City’s Fashion Week in Bryant Park. Although many designers and fashion insiders tried to fight the obliteration of the tradition, they ultimately lost to the Town Council and the Bryant Park Corporation.

According to the New York Times, the Bryant Park Corporation stated that New York City Fashion Week “disrupted plans to operate a skating rink in the winter and public use of the main lawn in the late summer”. Although a large amount of space remains public during the event, they believed the tents blocked the city from public activities.

It is true that a majority of the green space and the Fountain Terrace are closed off, but the public is still able to enjoy other areas of the park. Every single day at 1:15pm, Bryant Park does completes a lunchtime count of visitors at the park. According to an employee of the Bryant Park Corporation, who actually made a very contradictory statement to the company’s decision, “Our daily lunchtime count totaled 3,086 people and a number of free activities occurred that day, including Pétanque lessons, Ping Pong, and Piano in Bryant Park, which were all well attended by park patrons. Other popular activities not impeded by Fashion Week’s presence include bi-weekly Tai Chi classes, Meet the Birds in Bryant Park, knitting lessons, and poetry readings. Le Carrousel also remains open with normal operating hours.”

It is pretty much understood that the Bryant Park Corporation decided to discontinue the location because they were not making as much money during Fashion Week as they would be on a normal day. Although the park could still be used, they were financially better off to just end the tradition and remain completely open during this time. According to an IMG executive who spoke on condition of anonymity because the company does not typically release any figures, “IMG pays only $1 million to $1.5 million to use the space each season”.

It is proposed that the new location of New York Fashion Week be right by the New York State Theatre. Although designers will now get 25% more space in the tents, this also might mean that guests will have to walk at least a city block back and forth to shows.

Sources:
http://gothamist.com/2009/02/03/say_bye_bye_to_bryant_park_fashion.php
http://blog.bryantpark.org/post/190445039/fashion-week-in-bryant-park

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/fashion/03TENTS.html

the uniform project.

i really miss the days when i was required to wear a uniform to school. i'm sure that you're probably thinking that this is super horrible of me considering the fact that i am majoring in fashion. but the thing is, uniforms aren't bad--- it's actually the test of someone's fashion savvyness. think about it: how can one stand out in a crowd of a hundred, all of whom are wearing the same thing?

well, ever since i heard about 'the uniform project', i've been quite impressed with the number of things people can do to make their uniform stand out. akanksha, the mastermind behind this project, has dedicated herself to wearing the same dress everyday for one year (365 days). to make things a bit interesting, everyday she has to totally reinvent the dress and give it a new meaning through layers and accessories. not only does this project encourage creativity, but it also promotes sustainable clothing.

all the money she makes in donations during this project goes to the akanksha foundation, which supports children in india.

for more information (and to see the uniform stylized in many different ways!), visit http://www.theuniformproject.com/

bow & arrow.

calling all brides! professor katz just recently launched her own bridal accessory line, bow & arrow. she has completely reinvented stereotypically mundane garters and veils --- and instead, made bridal accessories that are playful and cute. although the website is still in the process of being constructed, those who are interested are urged to e-mail her at elizabeth@bowandarrowdesigns.com for more information or check the bow & arrow website for future updates. http://www.bowandarrowdesigns.com/