Ladybrille® Blogazine

FOR PRESS RELEASES

Saturday, September 13, 2008

All for Africa "Knock Out Poverty" Event!

Heavyweights from movies, music and sports will join together to "Knock Out Poverty," Tuesday, September 23th at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, a landmark event to help fight poverty in Africa. Cultural icon, Grammy award winner, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Youssou N'Dour with special guests are set to align for this historic evening of entertainment and boxing, all in the name of charity.

Leading activists, philanthropists and African Heads of State are expected to attend [this] inaugural event as part of this important week in New York City, highlighted by the 63rd UN General Assembly, with it's special focus on Africa, and the Clinton Global Initiative.For more information, please visit http://www.allforafrica.org/events.cfm

Friday, September 12, 2008

Ladybrille Congratulates Budget Fashionista on its 5yr Anniversary Bash!

While we didn't make it to Budget Fashionista's five [5] year bash as we had to be in so many places all at once, our fashion colleagues inform us it was one of the hottest parties during fashion week! Congrats to Kathryn Finney, brains behind Budget Fashionista, and her team for her achievements. Keep up the good work!

Our friend, Meghan Cleary of http://www.missmeghan.com/ describes the celebration as follows:

"People, I am still recovering from the hotness. Not only were there about 500 people there, there were vegan cupcakes. Hello? Carson Kressley, Roshumba, Jess Zaino, Pam Pekerman, and Steve Kemble all agree with Kathryn that frugal is the new black. Music was fierce, the drinks were flowing — it was an actual fun fashion party, with a real goody bag full of STUFF instead of gift certificates — which is so hard to pull off these days!"

Glam Media Party, New York Fashion Week

Glam media, to celebrate New York Fashion Week and its conglomerate of strong brilliant online publishers, threw a fun, intimate gathering at the chic 60 Thompson Hotel, set in the heart of Manhattan's Soho district. With lots of drinks, food and gift bags to go around, publishers seemed to welcome the opportunity to party, make new friends, meet Glam's staff and talk a bit fashion business. The event held on September 9th, 2008 was co-sponsored by AT & T. Enjoy a few pics from the event below:

L-R: Fashion Model Hawa Diawara, Ladybrille's Uduak Oduok, Tamera Reynolds [Lawyer turned Glam's Black Life Director], Azar Hafizi [Glam's sales executive] and Lisa Garcia [President of Exo Limited]

L-R: Lane Buschel [Lawyer turned Vice President of the reputable Morris + King public relations company], Ladybrille's Uduak Oduok and New York based Entertainment lawyer, Elliot Resnik.

Ladybrille Web Snob 9/7/-8 to 9/12/08

A Few Goody GumDrops is loving the new ultimate digital goody from Vivienne Tam!
Stiletto Jungle has 3 lifesavers for post-summer hair.
Allie is Wired lists celebrity demands from the 2008 VMAs. White crew socks, anyone?
Bag Bliss sits down for an interview with Handbag Designer Andrea Brueckner!
Coquette has stars in her eyes for the front row celebs at NY Fashion Week.
Fashion, evolved is loving the new sustainable label Madras 641 .
Sophisticated neutrals and cheery brights make for a feminine, flattering Spring 2009 Fashion Color Palette - Fashiontribes
Kristopher is wanting, wearing, hating S.P.A.N.K. lingerie.
Quinta Trends is praying with Santa Clara (just for women)
Shoppingandinfo wants to show you the new Louis Vuitton Cruise Collection from Hong Kong.
StyleBakery.com rounds up this season's most coveted handbags for every budget.
Stylehive New York Fashion Week Review: Monique Lhuillier Takes Us To Her Tropical Isle.
The Beauty Stop explains how to pose like you are on the red carpet.
The Fashionable Housewife sent her Squishy Butt And Saggy Boobs To Bootcamp! 30 days later, she's looking great and has the before and after pics to prove it!
The Shoe Goddess reports back from the glamorous Prada party at NYC Fashion Week!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Gottex Spring 2009 Collection from St. Tropez to Porto Cervo!

When Gideon Oberson says, "for me, dressing for the beach is no different than dressing for a night out," he really means it. The Spring 2009 Gottex show held September 8th, 2008, opened to a fully packed crowd in the main tent at Bryant Park as the designer traveled with his audience from St. Tropez to Porto Cervo. "The Gottex woman goes effortlessly from pool-side to cocktails and dinner by simply adding a eye catching pareo or skirt to complete her ensemble," explains Oberson. Using very lush colors and textures of the Mediterranean teased with sun-kissed 18 karat gold details, Oberson indeed delivered a sexy collection that takes you from pool side to cocktails or that romantic dinner.

Ladybrille African Fashion News #47

A weekly collection of fashion news relating to or about Africa.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Ports 1961, “Beloved of the Sky” Spring 2009 Collection

Ports 1961 Spring 2009 show began with the Cowboy Junkies performing, their performance and music serving as a backdrop as models strutted the runway in designs consistent with the theme of Ports Spring 2009 collection, “Beloved of the Sky.”

Inspired by Canadian artist Emily Carr, North African born, Canadian raised Tia Cibani [Creative Director of Ports 1961 since 2004] explored Carr’s three lined shore of the Pacific Northwest. With strong linear silhouettes, Cibani sought to and did convey “a sense of loft and length by playing on proportions that elongate the body.”
Her silhouettes, for example, revealed lower waistlines creating an extended torso, ruched sleeves and floor sweeping lengths which drew out the limbs. It was also hard to miss the on point styling as pieces of jewelry from London based Jeweler Lina Peterson, hats from London based Karen Henriksen Millinery and shoes from Julia Lundsten’s shoe label FINSK were artfully used to match lengths, colors and texture creating strong designs fit for a beloved, elegant, charismatic, lean and long confident woman.

COLORS: Neutral base of warm toned mallard, ospey, birch and alder were used as foundations. While roe, harbor crocus and sandpiper served as punctuations with pigmented accents. Other colors included salmon, caribou, kelp and raven.

KEY FABRICS: Silk, Cool wool and cotton jacquard

DESIGN DETAILS: Carved mother of pearl jewels, frayed paper yarns and silk fringes.

EDITOR’S PICKS: 1) The sandpiper mesh lace dress with cosset sleeves, necklace and wedge sandal worn by model Eugenia; 2) Sand piper chilkat tuck pleated jacket, sandpiper cotton tulle pencil skirt, copper bobby pin necklace, birch vacchetta belt and thong sandal worn my model Georgie; 3) Mallard knit dress, mallard silk trousers, copper and yarn necklaces, tortoise patent slipper worn by model Flo; 4) caribou sheath dress, pleated copper belt, fish skin clutch, wedge sandal worn by model Tabea; and caribou lace jacket, osprey jersey blouse, thuja print skirt, tortoise patent waits belt, copper and yarn necklace tortoise patent clutch and wedge sandal worn by model Erin.

ACCESSORY TRENDS: Tortoise Patent waist belts and clutches and pleated copper belts

NOT CRAZY ABOUT: The silk fringed maxi dresses and skirts, too much going on there and not very flattering on most shapes, even the very slender folks.

Our picks below! All photos by Marcio Madiera, http://www.style.com/

Winner of Ladybrille Safi Fragrance Contest!

Congrats to Yvette W. of Cordova, Tennesse, USA. She is the winner of our Ladybrille Safi Fragrance contest! If you missed out on this contest, no worries. Stay tuned for more contests and oppotunities to win fabulous prizes!

Monday, September 8, 2008

Diane von Furstenberg Rock Goddess Spring Collection 2009

Titled "Rock Goddess," and held September 7th, 2008, the Spring 2009 Diane von Furstenburg [DVF] show was pure drama, not so much from the actual clothes on the runway, which were, for the most part, on point, but from the who is hwo celebrities [celebs] present at the shows. Pre-event backstage was brimming and full of celebs making our way through was like "wow!" The scenario did not change post event. At the actual show, the huge tent where the event was held was filled to its sitting and standing capacity. Celebs who showed included CNN's Anderson Cooper of AC 360 [we could not help but wonder what he was doing at the show? Yes he is that cute in person and tall] Vogue's Anna Wintour, Actress Eva Longoria, Vogue's Andre Leon Talley, the fierce Bethann Hardison, Actress Sanaa Lathan, Fashion Editor Constance White who sat next to Tim Gunn of Project Runway [yes he recognized Ladybrille because he knew we did the exclusive on Korto Momolu], Nina Garcia, Rosario Dawson and Jennifer Lopez [J-lo], among too many celeb names to count.

While many celebs were present, it was J-Lo that stole the celeb paparazzi party. J-Lo’s entrance was simply pure HIGH drama. First, most of her celeb colleagues were already seated waiting for the show to begin. She, on the other hand, armed with her large entourage, was the to emerge from backstage into the main tent for the show. Indeed once she made her appearance, we could understand why the late entrance because the paparazzi immediately surrounded her like bees as they captured or attempted to capture the million dollar shots.

Enough celeb talk. To the fashion show, after all that is why we were sent abi [isn’t it]? From the first model who emerged on the runway in a pitch plisse wrap dress, it was clear DVF had effortless seduction on her mind for Spring 2009.

DESIGN STYLES: Airy chiffons, flowing long dresses, crisp Safari Khakis and cotton crochets.
SILHOUETTES & DESIGN DETAILS: Dresses volumes with very carefree shapes. Diaphanous tops were cinched loosely at the waist with wide belts, silk harem pants moved with such fluidity and were cropped at ankles. There were sequins on dresses, gold jacket and tuxedo shorts.
COLORS & PRINTS: DVF mixed radiant orange against spicy purple, rich magneta over brilliant marigold and iris blue splashes on deep magnetta. Consistent with her style, DVF used a kaleidoscope of prints for example, leaves, butterflies and flowers to create carefree silhouettes perfect for spring.
ACCESSORIES: Flowers braided into hair, slouchy bags, J-Lo like floppy hats.
HAIR & MAKEUP: Pale lips, eyes were dark and smoky with a retro chill kind of vibe.
Hair was relaxed natural tresses with loose curls that drew from the late 60's and early 70's bohemian eras.

EDITOR’S THOUGHTS & PICKS: Overall, a bright and happy collection and we think any Ladybrille woman can find something to work with for your wardrobe from DVF’s Spring 2009 showings. Our criticism? We think the styling was a bit much atimes as patterns seem to conflict or overwhelm the models, especially when paired with flower accessories in hair and the huge slouchy bags. Our picks: The Pitch plisse wrap dress worn by model Catherine McNeil, the Black and White butterfly mini Kaftan worn by model Jessica Stam and the Spice Purple Plisse gown worn by model Hye Park.

Stay tuned for more coverage including our video coverage and backstage interviews with celebs and designers for Spring 2009 New York Fashion Week.

Photos courtesy of Marcio Madiera, www.style.com

Fashion Indie Brooklyn Fashion Week

It's been a very busy time here in New York and we are about to get your fashion juices flowing with our reports from Bryant Park! We thought it made sense to start off with our friends at Fashion Indie. For the many talented designers who are usually not given visibility much less opportunity to show at the creme de la creme New York Fashion Week, our friends and Web Snob Partner, Fashion Indie, decided to produce the Fashion Indie Week Brooklyn, which is a full eight days of events featuring fashion shows with designers like Zulema, Harriet's Alter Ego, Adeleke, Alisha Trimble, Love Brigade, dozens of parties, exclusive in-store events, and online coverage of the very best fashion the better borough has to offer.

While we have been unable to make one of the shows,yet [its been that busy], we did stop by on September 6th for one of their fun after parties and partied it up with the lovely CEO of Fashion Indie and one of the co-founders Busie Matsiko. Check out dome photos from the parties.

[All photos courtesy of Fashion Indie]

Designer Adeleke in middle with guest to his left and Busie to right