Kiehl's celebrated NYC Pride + Better & Better Benefit Concert for GLSEN

My friend Felicia, who is currently working in development at GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) invited me to the Kiehl's celebration for NYC pride at their flagship store, as well as the Better & Better Benefit Concert for GLSEN.  We couldn't stay long at Kiehl's because we had to head to the concert.  But I met designers Costello Tagliapietra, which was very cool!  The benefit concert was really amazing with talented musicians, Andrea McArdle, Nellie McKay, the band BETTY, and Rachael Sage. It was great to see all the people supporting GLSEN and even more awesome that gay marriage was legalized the following day!  Sex columnist Dan Savage of Savage Love was there briefly to say that he wished there was an organization like GLSEN when he was growing up to support him.  I had a blast and look forward to future events supporting GLSEN. 

Me with designers of Costello Tagliapietra

Super fuzzy picture of MC Alec Mapa ("Ugly Betty")

Another fuzzy photo, this time of sex columnist Dan Savage of Savage Love and his partner

June 25th Sand by Saya Shoe Exhibition

Japanese Designer Saya Fukuda is showing her new collection of fun and summery sandals this Saturday, June 25th in midtown.  The sturdy platform flip flop which are adorned with intricate handmade decorations are sold at well known department stores in Tokyo.  Stand out from the crowd by wearing this summer standard with extra oomph!

Interview with Designer Kara Lusardi of Bobi

I talked to LA based designer Kara Lusardi of Bobi, a contemporary line of super comfortable and flattering tees and dresses in modern cuts and gorgeous colors. A favorite among celebrities like Taylor Swift, Nicole Richie, Selena Gomez , Mila Kunis, and Sophie Monk, her line is great for different body types and ages. It's also really affordable with every piece retailing under $100! The talented and energetic designer shared with me how she got started in fashion, her influences, and what she thinks you should have in your closet this summer and fall, and how she loves her job!

Bobi Designer Kara Lusardi

Could you tell us about your background and how you got started with Bobi?
 
I'm from New York and I've been in the industry almost 20 years.  I went to FIT in Manhattan for illustration, not design.  I was doing freelance illustration.  My friend was working at Cynthia Rowley, and there was a part time production job. So I decided to get that job, and also freelance.  I wound up working at Cynthia Rowley for 3 years doing that production job, and it turned into a career.

I'm a designer, but production is 90% of the job now, so my background in production really helped me.  I moved to LA in 1996.  I was interviewing for Rampage for a production job. The interviewer looked at my artwork and put me right in the design department at Rampage.  I worked at Rampage, XOXO as a designer in LA.   I took a break for 2 years because I was very interested in retail.  I wanted to design my own t shirts and put them in my own store along with other merchandise.  I was a manager at Nicole Miller on Sunset in California.  I went back to NY and worked in childrenswear for 7 years, I was the head designer for a major childrenswear company.  I designed for labels like Mudd and OshKosh.   Then I moved back in 2005, because of the contemporary tee shirt industry here.  I consulted with owners, designers and sales teams of many companies like BCBG, to get lines back on track.  I was doing that for 2 years and got a reputation for flipping contemporary companies.

Then company I work with now, Genexus, called me, and said they wanted to start a contemporary T Shirt company. They said: "Would you come and start it for us and then you could leave."  I was originally planning to move back to LA to start my own store.  But this company just worked out so well for me.  It's so great, there's no way I was leaving.  At our first trade show, Intermezzo, we blew up. I started it and it just took off. It's basically my own line except for the financing and it's a big company.  They own a garment factory in China, so I go to China constantly.  I love this company.  It was exactly the kind of line that I wanted to do.  So I stayed on.  It's been five and a half years and now I run the whole position.  I'm Bobi, people called me Bobi.


Did you come up with the name Bobi?
The name is one of the only things I didn't do.  The VP was trying to come up with a name and we discussed it.  I wanted a neutral girl name.   He thought of Bobbi because it sounded kind of tomboyish. We took one of the b's out and came up with the name.  It's catchy and it works.  It's for everybody, every girl.

Could you describe your line?
We started off very basic.   Very long tanks, long tees, to cover your back side, to cover your fat.  Layering pieces.  We got a great response to that.  Five and a half years later, now we have so many fashion tees. We also do bathing suit cover ups, sweaters, cool jumpsuits. All the dresses are made from t shirt material - 100% cotton.  We have tons of tons of tee shirt dresses.  Our competition includes James Perse.  However, we do so many more dresses.  Dresses are 50% of our line.  We do everything with a twist.


For the spring and summer, what trends do you think would be popular?
What's ready to wear now and for summer this year - is military, dressy grunge look.  It's about white tees with little military jackets. Leggings and Minnetonkas. All understated.  At night, it's not so cool to wear a dress anymore.  It's cooler to wear a long tee shirt.with a long black maxi skirts for a dressy feel.  Maxi skirts are a huge trend right now.  Brigitte Bardot.  Military is in right now.

For next year, people will be getting sick of army colors and the basics.  You're going to see a lot of bright colors.  West Palm Beach 1981.  Next spring our theme will be Cuba.  Instead of pastels, you'll see nice bright dresses in bold colors.  Electric blues, reds.  People want to have fun again.  People want that excitement back.  Think Gloria Estefan, Miami style machine, ruffle off the shoulder, the bombshell.

What's your inspiration for Fall?
 Fall is more NY based trends.  In the spring, the line is always more bohemian. It's about getting back to basics.  There's also an industrial theme happening because of Lady Gaga.  For fall, we infused industrial Lady Gaga with the industrial old time so there are a lot strong style lines, in military colors.  We have two weird trends but they somehow work together.  We usually have 3 stories happening at once.  Last season, we had Black swan theme. Every season, we offer so many colors, 20 colors.  We have a lot of fun with color in our line.  Bobi is all about color.

Since you're bicoastal, do you see any similarities between NY and California fashion? 
One trend that I see, looking at tabloids and magazines and on the street, are different stories going on top and bottom, e.g. military upper part, and flowy black skirt.  They're contradictory stories, which create really interesting, individual looks. Lots of layering, sheer material.  People are going back into their closets and reworking the things they have.  I see women spend money on white long layering pieces that you could infuse into your wardrobe or on flower prints to update things that you have.  It's all about flowers. Flowers mixed with military to make it girly. 

What Trends are you not a fan of?
Those new shoes, platform sandal/flip flops, that tie around your ankles.  Michael Kors makes them.  I understand them.  But it's just really unfeminine.  I dress for women, but you don't totally want to scare guys away and to me, this shoe does the job.

Where do you see your line going in five year?
I see Bobi becoming much more of a collection and one stop shopping, like BCBG.  We are trying to expand our dress division.  More dressy dresses.   Nothing promish or satin.  Higher end fabric and fancier dresses in the range of $225 for a cool wedding. We're also building an outerwear category.  We're in every country and opening up stores.  We just opened a store in Rome.  We're continuing to do department stores.
We haven't started flagship store yet because we just don't have the manpower right now.  But that will happen.  That is something that we do want to do. We're building a company.  We keep bringing in higher level people constantly as we grow.  We'll always have the great price points and higher end fabrics.

Speaking of price points, Bobi has great pricepoints!
We sit in high end stores, that sell Stella McCartney shirts for $200+.  And then you'll see our long white tee for $40.  At those prices, we can sell 3 pieces to every 1 of the pricier items.  People can't necessarily afford the $250 shirt.  I used to buy those $200 shirts, but I don't buy them anymore.  It's not that I can't afford them.  I'd rather spend by money on shoes, bags or denim.  When it comes to shirts, I wear my shirts twice-  because I'm a girl.  That's what girls do!  That's why F21 is doing well. They have great cuts, women are buying shirts there and wearing their expensive denim and shoes.  They don't want to spend 89 dollars on  white tee shirt.  We're hitting price points that people think are affordable.

Who are your favorite designers?
I'm friend of Rebecca Taylor.  Regardless of the friendship, Rebecca Taylor is one of my favorite lines.  The prints are so classy, attractive, girly and bohemian.  It's the perfect clothing for me.  If I were to spend money it would be on Rebecca Taylor or Diane Von Furstenberg.  I also love Free People.  One of the reasons why I love FP is because none of it is like my line.  Half of my closet is Free People   It's so cool, unique.  It's great to throw a Free People vest over one of my tee shirts!  I love Calvin Klein basics.  J. Mendel is probably my favorite high end designers, so classic and clean.  The cuts get you noticed.  You can't go wrong with J. Mendel.  I love Michael Kors.  All my shoes are Michael Kors - I buy 2 new pairs every season from MK!  I love Paper Denim.  I'm very dedicated to certain labels.  It's so hard to find things that works for you.  So when you see something, you will stick to it. That's the same thing with our business.  90% of our business is return customers buying more and more, because it works for them.


If you were to do a collaboration, who would you do it with?

If I were to do a collaboration with anyone, I'd love it to be Target!  A designer is an artist and it's like sharing a painting with somebody.  It's so difficult to collaborate.  But it's easier to do it with a store.  That's the kind of partnership I'm looking for!  I definitely appreciate other artists and designers.  I never thought about collaborating with anyone.  

What's the hardest part of your job?
Honestly, it gets more difficult everyday.  Literally I worked until 1 or 2 in the morning everyday.  It's not about having enough people.  I'm running the label, so there are some things that only I can do. When you start, there are production issues, kinks to work out, gaining the trust of your retailers.  Building those relationships and keeping people happy is the hardest part of business.  There are so many details. T shirts are always about the fit. So the factory will ask me why I need a change of a 1/4 inch.  There's lots of back and forth. But it's all rewarding!  Everything that I do, even when I'm frustrated on the phone with the factory in China at 1 in the morning, I love my job!

Langoliers Trunk Show

At a trunk show for recently launched jewelry line Langoliers, I was able to see close hand the well done first collection by designers Zon Chu and Pamela Liou.  I was lusting after the various woven pieces in unexpected materials and combinations.  Some were lovely, delicate and gossamer necklaces and earring and hand knit bracelets and statement rings with just the right amount of substance.  Either way, these were unique and grabbing pieces that anyone would want to wear and stare at in admiration at its intricacy.

Designer Pamela Liou wearing one the rings in the collection.  Check out that manicure too!

Love these earrings!

Mohair woven necklace

The necklace is one of my favorites!

Petit Petois - Interview with Designer Viviana Gabeiras

I was very fortunate to meet talented Venezuelan born designer Viviana Gabeiras who showed me her line Petit Petois when she was in New York.

I read that you grew up in Venezuela and that your stepmother taught you how to sew.  How else has your heritage influenced you?

I was born in Venezuela but came to the states many years ago.  I came to New York and studied at Parsons.  Even though I went back to my country, an American company brought me back.  I worked for many companies before I launched my own line.

You have to know a little bit of Venezuela to understand that we are very influenced by Europeans.  We opened the doors to Europeans in World War II.  We also had a lot of the American influence because of the oil.   My mother was a big celebrity in Venezuela. She's retired now, but and I was influenced by all the dressing for TV.  And my stepmom was taught me more about the sewing and craft.

Can you tell me more about this beautiful dress?

This dress is a brand new dress.  It has been the talk of town, so we can not take it out of line yet!  Everyone wants to have one.  We do it in different colors. People are getting married in it in white or antique beige!  We do it with flowers on the belt or without the belt.  It comes with a bathing suit and covers everything and it gives you that illusion that you are safe.  Or we can do it with a slip if they don't want the body suit. This is all custom made.  The store usually have them in 2 or 3 different colors.

 Everything is very soft on the body - most of our dresses. We also do prints and a lot of textures.  We have another dress which is mesh with ripped cotton stretched out on top of the mesh. We do different variations in the mesh and weight.  We are now not only keeping our mesh, but also bringing new qualities with knits and doing more luxury knits.  People like what we do, but they want me to offer it in different fabrication. We introduced new fabrications in 2011 and everybody is loving everything.  We're very happy with our turnaround.

You're well know for using mesh.  Why do you like mesh so much?

I was trying to find a fabric that was not lycra or spandex. I did not like the look of spandex, which is shiny. It wasn't looking sophisticated enough.  I still wanted to work  with a stretchy knit, that you could do different things with, yet make it look sophisticated and more high end.  That's when I started my search.  I would do different things to see how it behaved until I conquered it and could do anything I wanted with it.  Two years later Jean Paul Gaultier started working with mesh.  Not many designers work with it.  Very very few.  It's a difficult fabric to work with it.  But once you conquer it, it's very noble.  For me, it has given me too much.  I'm very grateful to work with mesh. And it's also washable.  You can travel with it.  If you're traveling and going to a big event, you don't need to carry a big suitcase.  You can put it in your suitcase and let it hang out and you're ready to go.

What kind of women wear your clothes?

Women today are conquering and doing so many things.  They are doing business, taking care of children, running back and forth.  Also jobs are carried with you all the time.  Me.  I'm traveling a lot.  I understand where women are coming from and what they need.  Women aren't staying in one place.  I'm trying to give them that.


I do have a sophisticated, trendy looks, but I also give safe, classy looks.  I give to my ladies, classic, ageless, looks.  It's timeless.  People are buying more and more because it lasts forever. You can wash it and wash it and it remains the same. It has good quality and can be worn in different ways.  I think that's important today.  They can wear differently. We do basics, long sleeve, t shirts. For example, you can layer this like a jumper, with a leather jacket.  You can wear it in the day at the office or meetings for work.  At night, wear it with beautiful sandals or high heels and go out.  That's what my clients are loving it about the line.  They can dress it up, dress it down, be young and high end.  Especially high end stores - they have to make sure more customers are happy - not just one specifically.

What's the influence for the fall line?
It's very European influenced. That's my fusion.  My experience living here in America, where sportswear is strong.  Europeans love American Sportswear.  Americans like the girly French chic. What I did is marry both of them.  This is the right combination.  That is how I achieved the dressing up and dressing down. I took the whole French type of lifestyle and transferred to American.  I've always done that but never in such a strong way.  I took it to another level and it exploded.  It looks very European, but if you take it one by one you see how easy and casual it is- which is very American.


I was surprised by the acceptance.  I was so pleased with the turnaround of the collection.   The colors are very neutral..  You can mix it around. We're going to do different mesh.


How much do your dresses retail?
Dresses retail around $200 - $220.  Some store price it at $195 to keep it in a more accessible price points .  Keep in mind that the line is all made in the USA.  We own our own plants.  It's a vertical way of doing business.  Quality control is all in one place, even though it's made in USA.  It's a way of giving back to the customers.
 

Designers Emerge Pop Up

I stopped by AM Studios art gallery in midtown yesterday for the Designers Emerge pop-up.   Designers Emerge is a nonprofit that supports NYC indie labels by providing them with a place to showcase their products.  There were lots of pretty dresses by H Fredriksson, airbrushed tees by Shawndra Lovechi for $35, chic and detailed designs from Sani & Son, feminine looks from T. Tandon, urban sophisticated dresses and tops from Sally Tseng. There were also unique braided tops from Bhon (I used their pieces for a photoshoot last year - Check out the pics here!)

409 39th St. @9th Avenue. Sat and Sunday 11am - 7pm (May 7, 8, 14, 15)

Christine Yoon, one of the designers for Bhon.  Love their unique braided tops!

Designer Tina Tandon holding one oh her designs, T. Tandon.

Designer Sally Tseng wearing her design (love the gold blazer)

Beautiful silk top from Sani & Son, $45

Printed Silk/wool blend scarves from Sani & Son's Distinkt line, $49

T Shirts from Shawndra Lovechi for $35

Kleonikh Collection - Interview with designer Nikki Demoneris

I recently talked to super nice Nikki DeMoneris, designer and founder of Kleonikh, about her newest collection of contemporary and beautifully draped pieces.

What was your inspiration for this collection?

For this collection, I had been inspired by fish and the movement of fish.  One of the prints, the blush pink print is actually inspired by a translucent kind of fish with see through skin, which is really interesting because it was kind of veiny.  Obviously I didn't take it directly from the fish. That was the inspiration behind that print, gruesome but very pretty. I don't use a lot of pink, but I felt it was successful for that print.

I used other aspects of the fish, especially the length and fluidity of the tail of the eel.  It's pretty gruesome - it's black and has a big thick blown up head and a very thin tail - very ghastly and crazy.  That was very inspirational, because of the way it moved.  There's a Shirt dress - the Boga dress - the proportioning and the bubble- it's actually draped this way and sewn this way - you don't need the belt to actually hold it up.

The whole process was very fluid and translucent.  I used a lot of chiffon.  Even the process of how they move was inspiring.   It wasn't just looking at a picture of the fish.  The way they moved influenced the whole draping proccess.  Each piece was done separately and took a lot of time.  Moving forward, it's definitely something I'd love to continue.  I do a lot of the draping and patterning.  I love to focus on each piece.

Has your Greek background influenced you?

A lot of people say it's very Greek, but I don't really utilize it on focus on it. I definitely feel as though my mother instilled certain aspects of fashion in me.  Not necessarily because she's Greek.  She loves clothing and it's very important to her. She always told me to buy pieces that last longer.  Not the fast fashion. Spending a pretty penny, but knowing that you'll be wearing it forever.  Not necessarily going into ancient Greek aesthetic, although I really enjoy draping so maybe it's in there!

In terms of designers, who would you say are your influences?

I like so many designers for many reasons.  They have their own techniques. Martin Margiela, although he has a much cleaner aesthetic. There's Rick Owens. I love Italian designers, Armani tailoring.  Everybody has their own thing that they're amazing at and I don't focus on one designer. I respect every designer.  

If you could one to collaborate with someone, who would you want to work with?  

Philip Lim, Proenza Schouler. I love Tom Scott, Richard Chai.  A lot of designers that I respect and acknowledge.

Where would you like your line to be in the next couple of years?

Hopefully, within 2-3 years we will open up a store, maybe in downtown Brooklyn.  I want to keep the store custom and small, and really focus on my customer. I want them to feel special wearing it. I want to  be able to control every aspect. I want to do the draping. I don't want to be popping out collection after collection without focusing.  In other words, I don't want to lose the interest.

Where are you selling?

I sell on online and in Englewood New Jersey, Closet 07631 for Her.  It's a very interesting store. The owner has a very nice perspective, she's great! She's very into the art of fashion.  She has a little bit of children's clothing,jewelry, accessories, scarves, a little bit of everything, but it really focuses on each designer's talent.  I love that store. I feel like the neighborhood, Englewood,speaks to my customer's lifestyle. I never thought imagined that I would be in New Jersey, but it works out.  My customers are very contemporary, casual.  You would picture them in the Lower East Side too.

The clothes are made well for working women and they can  go from day to night.  It's about keeping pieces, throwing on a jacket, and making them a little more dressy, wearing it out to dinner or to a lounge.

Kleonikh is a sponsor for the Carnival of Love Foundation.  Could you tell us more of this charity?

I'm part of the Carnival of Love Foundation. It's so important to me because the autistic children really need the help. I will be donating 2 pieces from the Kleonikh line for a raffle for their next event. All the proceeds from the event will be put into donating iPads to certain non-profit organizations in the NY metro area which have educational programs in place for children with autism. A typical Program costs 2-3k, when you could buy $400 Ipad with programs to work for each child's need and development.  We're having an event on April 29th 2011 at Central Bar and Lounge in Astoria, Queens. We're also doing love print movement, the idea of really leaving your mark on this world - what's the shape of your love is the slogan. It should be a lot fun.  We're doing a full moon theme! See link for details.