Webkinz. As Alison Zisko reported 2.11.08 for trade journal Home Furnishings News, “For the uninitiated, Webkinz, manufactured by Ganz, are small plush toys that come with a secret code that unlocks a secure Web site, enabling children to take care of a virtual pet online. It offers games, trivia questions and all sorts of ways for children to mind the health and well being of their pet, as well as create and decorate rooms for it on the computer. Webkinz are introduced periodically. Introduced in April 2005, they retail for around $12.95 apiece.”

The article further states ,”“We sold almost half a million dollars in Webkinz last year,” said David Calcaterra, vice president of Thrifty Florist, which operates 16 of the combined flower and gift shops in the metropolitan Detroit region. “People bought other things. In the month of December, it made a difference.”

So far what they are talking about is the selling of the stuffed animals, Webkinz, themselves. What about actual products that license them. Seems like a terrific boost to sales of anything i.e. bedding, tabletop items themselves, furniture, pajamas….lunchboxes, backbacks. It’s a thought, or more like a recommendation. I haven’t checked into licensing the product myself, not yet.

I will say that it is one of those things Moms are recommending to other Moms and is a topic of conversation between Moms….always a surefire way of seeing the beginnings of something very big.

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marc jacobs fall 08 ny, ny……………..diane von furstenberg

You probably didn’t think Marc Jacobs and Miuccia Prada could be uttered in the same thought breath….and both might be insulted or flattered depending upon the day if you did, but both managed to bring that infamous liberated Charlie Girl from the 70’s right smack dab into the 21st century (both shown below). In Jacobs case liberating her from constricting perfect cut and hard to wear much less live up to clothing while Prada lets us wear our more sensual sides on our sleeves so to speak without screaming we have one. Praise the fashion Gods, the Woman, I say, W-O-M-A-N, has arrived…..Lucee, let me ’splain.

To begin, the fall shows themselves have put us sideliners, insiders, sidewinders and editors on a roller coaster of thought waves and patterns while being taken from the ridiculous to the sublime in a matter of weeks; but that’s been, strangely, half the fun. With a decided lack of direction from our fashion bellwethers for fall, nothing took shape quite literally until now. Thankfully there is light at the end of this tunnel we call runway fashion, and surprisingly for me it took Marc Jacobs to drill the first hole to the surface.

DVF Fall 08

I’ll admit Diane von Furstenburg’s collection held sway over me and thus emitted a ray of hope (sticking with the metaphor) because of it’s ability to allow us to mix and match our wardrobes…..a lovely and fun thing to do and, given the times, economically sound too. Then Marc Jacobs really gave our sportswear image in the states a lift by plopping us squarely (again, almost literally) into the 21st century. Slouchy comfortable and sleekly streamlined (all in one outfit?)…isn’t that something our lives call for as we multitask our way to the top and back and up and back again to the kitchen?

Then along comes Polly….well not exactly, it was actually Raf Simons at Jil Sanders, but no less upsetting (as the likeable and messy Polly that Jennifer Anniston played was to the uptight and o.c.d. character Ben Stiller played in the movie with the same name) to the most sensibly stylish of us. Simons expertly created evening wear without one ounce of bling; he may have considered origami, but only for a second before he and his patternmakers-cum-designers created sculpted looks only an imperfect lady (named Charlie I think) could wear, simultaneously turning the season and dressing up, upside down–pleated tweeds, whoever has heard of this much less done it, worked it…had it work. I’m at a loss for words to describe what he’s managed to pull off.

And once that had sort of sunk in, oh heavens forbid (and how they’ve tried), here comes Miuccia Prada, telling us to “take it off, take it off, take it allll off.” But, you know Prada, not in such direct terms. No, being direct is not in Prada’s oeuvre ….everything was done with subtlety and care and with a process that brings the more shy-lings among us along and then, plop! puts us once again, squarely into the 21st century face to face with ourselves.

It’s been a complicated and messy affair this Fall ‘08 runway biz for many reasons too many financial to speak of but luckily for us, salvaged. And we still have Paris! So, since pictures are worth a thousand words and I think I’ve gone over the limit, let me show you what I’m going on about while we let fall ‘08 on the Paris runways begin.

Orange, You Burnt or just Red?

ohne titel……………………..halston………………………bottega veneta

Who’s That Girl? Charrrrlie. (marc jacobs)

Jil Sander

Prada, Prada, Prada.

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So far so good. This has been a highly anticipated relaunch considering it’s been done before, 5 other times, according to New York Times esteemed fashion critic, Cathy Horyn, and failed. “So what will make this time be any different?” industry pundits want to know.

We can never underestimate the value of a well put together team; there is a business side to the fashion design rigamarole if not a bottom line that in some houses obviously has the upper hand, sadly. In some cases, it is the designer who has full control if not input from on high….Dior comes to mind in that case. Myself, I don’t think it good that a designer function within a vacumn; so, to my mind, therein lie the challenges of the 21st century.

How to be innovative and make money. Seems many have the solution to this complex equation. Question is, do the new folks at Halston have it? Apparently that’s the 64 (with inflation) million dollar question, or should I say with respect to Halston the 54 million dollar question?

Well, let’s see. They’ve put together an innovative strategy, they have qualified people at the helm. Weinstein and Co. (a film production company) is a part owner along with a capital finance company, Hilco; several industry names both from the movie and garment industry and a designer who worked with Donatella Versace, Marco Zanini, whose first output looks remarkably like Halston, great colors, sexually flowing capes and gowns, oh my….and orders on Net-a-porter within the first 24 hours of the runway collection showing and finally, rumors of a possible film in the works (I’m pushing that one) with Brendan Fraiser starring as Halston and Zooey Deschannel as Lisa Minnelli. mmmmm, hear that? That’s the sound of buzzz.

Fashion insiders don’t like the movie people moving in on their territory, it’s hallowed ground to them. And they especially don’t like stylists the likes of Rachel Zoe who they think dumb down fashion for the sake of Hollywood treading carefully so as not to look stupid while walking the red carpet during awards seasons. Logical but hardly creative thinking, fashion industry pundits say, myself included.

But thinking outside the proverbial box is a good start and Hollywood and 7th Avenue converging is like retail’s bricks and mortar business model converging with the internet’s. Makes sense but how does one do it. Nau, if anyone has been paying attention to my blog, has figured it out in ground breaking fashion with their trademarked “webfronts;” why not Halston pitching its tent on Sunset Boulevard and the internet or rather hedge its bets by doing so in addition to wooing the traditional retailers. It’s a sound strategy with someone who appears to be an excellent designer needing a little more time doing what he does best, designing, while the other members of the team do what they can now do best which is to tap their network of high flyers that will give this relaunch probably the best shot its ever been given to date.

I think I’ll just move to the front row for this one.

For more Halston looks, go to Style.com. and/or the Fashion informer.

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