The Dior Pop-Up Project

When it was announced last Spring that Raf Simons would be leaving Jil Sander for Dior, many of us couldn’t wait to see what the talented Belgian designer would bring to the table… after all, he had some controversial albeit big shoes to fill! After a fabulously successful haute couture collection for the autumn/winter 2012 season (Raf Simons’ first stab at haute couture!), Dior seemed to get back into its groove with sales that rose by 24 percent for the year. Now, to celebrate his first Ready-to-wear collection for Dior, the highly-esteemed fashion house has launched a pop-up project in seven boutiques around the world: IT in Beijing, Joyce in Hong Kong, My Boon in Seoul, 10 Corso Como in Milan, Jeffrey in New York, Maxfield in Los Angeles and Colette in Paris. All of the shops will host exclusive, customized launch parties showcasing the looks from the collection and featuring window displays inspired by Raf Simons’ last show in Paris this past October. 

Raf Simons' first Haute Couture Collection for Dior - Photo via Telegraph

Tonight marks the first of the pop-up project openings at the 10 Corso Como concept store in Milan promising “a virtual experience that will guide you through the exciting launch of Raf Simons’ debut collection.” Interested? Follow Chiara Ferragni, mega fashion blogger behind The Blonde Salad, as she covers the opening of the pop-up boutique on her website and shares details of the exclusive cocktail launch party with her readers.

Photos via The Blonde Salad

Prefer a closer look? Swing by Colette on February 25^th to see if you can catch a peak of their very own Dior pop-up launch!

The Dior pop-up shops will run until March 25^th, debuting in each of the seven locations depending on arrival of the looks. For more details, visit the Dior website or click here.  

À bientôt!

Chic Parisian Slippers - Hello Chatelles!

Living in a big city, one can quickly learn to value the comfort of the flat shoe. Paris in particular is simply not your sky-high pair of stiletto’s best friend… We’re talking cobblestone streets, crowded sidewalks, surprise dog poo, puddles on puddles, and the occasional extra long-walk home at 2am when the metro is closed, your bus is no longer running, and there seem to be no available taxis left on this planet. So what to do when all odds are against you but you’re still not willing to sacrifice style?

Enter Chatelles, the Parisian brand of chic and comfortable flats for women. 

Launched in August 2012, Chatelles began as a love story. Helplessly in love with a girl, François offered her a pair of slippers he designed with a verse by Victor Hugo embossed in the inner sole of each flat – put the pair together and you have the words: “Je ne puis demeurer… loin de tois plus longtemps.” Or en anglais: “I cannot remain… far away from you any longer.” 

His charming gesture may not have been requited, but it did inspire him to turn his broken heart into a budding shoe business! Hand-made in Portugal, Chatelles offers a lovely selection of quality, customizable slippers available in a variety of colors and materials. Add your own initials or a pair of colorful tassels and voilà – your Chatelles are truly your very own.

Hooray! No more broken heels or sore feet! Thank you, François!

Shop Chatelles online at mychatelles.com (they ship globally!) or like the Chatelles Facebook page to be informed of private sales at their Paris showroom in the 7^th arrondissement.

À bientôt!

3.1 Phillip Lim is a Knockout for Fall '13

Phillip Lim killed it yesterday with his Fall/Winter 2013 ready-to-wear collection show in New York. In contrast with the fun, sporty, colorful looks he sent down the runway for Spring, the Fall collection displayed an edgier side of the coveted label. Lim’s affinity for clean, structured pieces is still at play here, but overall the modern Philip Lim girl is effortlessly tough – a badass biker chick if you will. That being said, you can expect some of the usual staples, such as the slouchy trouser, back for Fall, but in new fabrics like leather and jersey and significantly darker colors. A major highlight of the collection is definitely the outerwear - shearling coats and lust-worthy leather vests and jackets were layered over nearly every look. Not to mention some amazing knee-high leather boots paired with skirts and dresses. Don’t get me wrong, I’m terribly excited for Spring and Summer weather, but in the case of Phillip Lim… can it be Fall yet?! 

Photos via Style.com

Can't wait to get your hands on some of these pieces? Pre-order your favorites from the Fall '13 collection at the 3.1 Phillip Lim Trunkshow up on Moda Operandi this Friday, February 15th!

À bientôt!

Net-a-Porter Launches The Edit

Today marked the much anticipated launch of leading online retailer Net-a-Porter’s fashion magazine, The Edit. The weekly virtual magazine will bring readers all of “the must-wear trends and game changing pieces, exclusive interviews, insider beauty knowledge, and cultural must-sees” and is only phase one of the company’s major print and digital magazine project set to be published this Fall. To kick things off, the first issue centers on supermodel and philanthropist Natalia Vodianova modeling some of Spring’s freshest new looks and features an in-depth interview with Yana Peel, CEO of global debating forum, Intelligence Squared. Equal parts fashion and intellect, The Edit will soon be available in five languages catering to stylish women everywhere.

As a company, Net-a-Porter has accomplished serious horizontal integration in bringing the entire world of luxury women’s fashion together under one domain. Combining online retail with television, a weekly virtual magazine, newsletter, smart phone app, and various collaborations with major bloggers and icons of the industry, Net-a-Porter is your one-stop shop for a guaranteed informative and interactive fashion experience. Now, readers of The Edit will be able to take advantage of some serious (and free!) fashion advice, be inspired by its stories and interviews with powerful women, and shop the site directly from its expertly styled pages. Who could ask for more?

Photos via Net-a-Porter

Can’t wait to get your hands on a printed version of The Edit? Check out Net-a-Porter’s Collections Special, a temporary print mag that compliments all the goodies you’ll find in the online magazine. The first one will be mailed out next week so sign up for your copy now!

À bientôt!

H&M to Show at Paris Fashion Week

Last week, H&M announced that they will host a fashion show during Paris Fashion week on February 27^th. While this may be a first for the Swedish fast-fashion brand, H&M will be joining the likes of J. Crew and Topshop in their attempt to break into the esteemed, high-fashion scene of international Fashion Weeks. The show will reveal 25 looks from their autumn/winter 2013 collection and will be staged at the beautiful Musée Rodin in the 7^th arrondissement of Paris.

Looking back over the past decade, we have seen the fashion world and the concept of International Fashion Weeks evolve in many ways. What was once a highly exclusive and hierarchical industry to break into, the Fashion world today embraces young bloggers and street style photographers from all over the world, allowing them about as much say and influence as any major Fashion journalist or Hollywood celebrity. Already, show invites at international Fashion Weeks have encompassed an increasingly diverse and surprising crowd, and now, so too does the schedule of designers showing.

What do you think bout H&M showing in Paris later this month? What does this development mean for future Fashion Weeks? 

À bientôt!