Alexander McQueen delivered his SS 2010 collection today with evolution as its theme and he picked snakes to get his point across. I don’t have the full inside scoop on that particular detail, but he certainly represented fashion, snakes and the process of evolution flawlessly.

And if that weren’t enough, he really made (air) waves by going direct to the cyberspace fashion collective by tweeting about his video of the collection done in conjunction with fashion photog Nick Knight. Just prior to the runway show, Nick Knight did an up close interview with McQueen sitting at a kitchen table drinking from a very proper cup of tea and truly I felt as if I were right there, sitting with Mr. McQueen himself listening to him explain some of his thinking behind fashion, the internet, and his own visions.

Marvelous, marvelous, marvelous stuff. If you ever wanted to know the definition of engagement (that thing all marketers are looking for when they combine mediums to reach their targets), this would be it.

The only hitch was that they had so many visitors to the site, (Lady Gaga tweeted the event) not everyone got on, and so were left disappointed. No worries…bright minds like that leave it on line for everyone who didn’t get to see it the first time. Check here at ShowStudio Alexander McQueen SS2010 Live.

Today marked a shift in fashion history by Alexander McQueen creating a presentation for the world direct to them, not just for that select group of editors and buyers and celebs. Not only was there an evolution in Mr. McQueen’s work, there was an evolution in how a luxury fashion designer presents his runway collection to market.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens after this.

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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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After grappling with how to say Happy New Year to Everyone, this is what I decided on: a sneak peek to my 2009-2010 top trends, as I see it, and as a way to help wrap up 08 depending on where you are in your buying, your product launches, your presentations, or your strategy planning.

1. Color Cornucopia: Eye Candy for the Color Maven’s Soul. Image from John Galliano for Dior Haute Couture Spring 08 Collection. Seattlepi.com.

2. Mother Earth Beats Her Chest: Science Popular.

“An armada of robot submarines and marine sensors are to be deployed across the Atlantic, from Florida to the Canary Islands, to provide early warning that the Gulf Stream might be failing, an event that would trigger cataclysmic freezing in Britain for decades.” Meric Srokosz of the Southampton Oceanographic Centre, explaining the purpose of the $31 million Rapid Watch system he is heading up, does just that, citing the plotline of “The Day After Tomorrow” - specifically the collapse of the Gulf Stream - as a potential occurrence that warrants further investigation. From Treehugger.com and The Observer.

3. Finishing Touches Birth Special Effects. Photo Yohji Yamamoto, Mens FW 08, Style.com.

4. High Tech High Touch in Living Breathing Action. Image from Nau.com’s trademark “webfronts,” which is their idea of recognizing how the internet has changed consumer’s buying behavior.

5. Cross Marketing/Collaborations in Unlikely Places/Partners Creating Phenomenal Hybrids. From Designspotter and Globus by Michiel Van der Kley.

These are but a few of the macro trends I allude to during my strategy sessions or across the year in trend newsletters, reports and product development/programming strategy sessions.

Let me know if you have questions about how the above references might effect your planning for 08-2010, any initiatives that Trendbites publisher, the kimbro agency, may help you support in ‘08 and/or if you’d like to subscribe to any number of Trendbites’ sister, Trendcites (rhymes with bites!), publications.

We do trend newsletters, customized trend reports, product development strategizing and implementation, marketing consulting,
color palettes and by request only, show reports.

You can reach me by email at kim@trendcites.com.

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It may be my imagination but I don’t think so. And if indeed Isabel Toledo got her inspiration from this painting of Mondrian, her interpretation is flawless. Ms. Toledo’s collection for Anne Klein Spring/Summer 08 was one of the strongest of the runway shows during New York’s Fashion Week.

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This time from the New York times….they’ve managed to get the back story on this and it’s worth everyone’s time to read all about it. They pretty much corraborate everything I’ve been saying and in the process give you even more places to get your very own customized walking sign post….and while these are good, my favorites are still the Sting V Tee I show a few posts back in my very own blog and the Videos on T shirts (also shown on Trendbites). Maybe it’s time for me to do my own Trendbites t-shirt and get this off my chest once and for all. (wait do I mean on my chest, or out of my system and onto my chest?). Anybody got any ideas for a Trendbites logoed t shirt?

I am thinking maybe a black t shirt with the blue Trendbites lettering and an apple with a bite out of it swinging off the S? What do you think of that?

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I am struck by the uniqueness and quality of Stefani’s jewelry line, L.A.M.B., it’s actually good. So good, I might buy one of her watches (this one in fact) for me. I was beside a woman at the Nordstrom jewelry counter, older, not a tweener nor college aged person but you know, over 35 shall we say, like me, and we both agreed, “This line is good. Go figure.” And check it out (I mean you). This is not an ad for L.A.M.B. but celebrity designers have come under fire of late as being all fluff with no stuff behind their labels but I disagree….on a couple, Gwen Stefani in particular. Very cute, good quality, and a variety of design.

In fact, Ms. Stefani is now suing Forever 21 for trademark infringement on her designs. She says they copied her, (Nooohwa!). Now copying is a for sure thing in this industry but suing for it is something rarely done. I am curious to see how it turns out. Good luck, Gwen. We love you!

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If you were having trouble thinking about what to get your under 5 fashionista, think no more, the solution has arrived, Swavorski style.

So what’s the market….given it is Swarovski Crystal….MaDonna’s kids? Brangelina’s? Well you can be sure that if they were to pick it up, so will the rest of the world. This post came from Kilian Nakamura’s blog which gives you all the lifestyle and fashion trends you need (and obviously more) direct from the streets of Japan.

I especially like how the product grouping comes with its own gift box, ala Tiffany.

Then again, I need a little classy clutch and the silver number looks pretty good. But wait a minute….is this some kind of a Paris Hilton joke? Nope…today Hello Kitty, tomorrow for Swarovski, the world.

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More than tee shirts and Sting, the 60’s are back with a twist. I do love that stylesetters are reinventing the 60’s into something that works for today…that is of course how it should be…retro with a twist.I see that in home furnishings as well, taking something like baroque and creating it with a modern twist.

Like these painted foam chairs from the International Contemporary Furnishings Show in New York a couple of weeks ago, but the silhouette is decidedly Baroque. Besides calling it retro with a twist, I call it whimsical. Even the 60’s steetwear with a little bit gypsy has that touch of whimsy to it.Jamie Hayon’s (the darling of the design world right now) work has whimsy to it, so does Tord Boontje’s and Marcel Wanders.

I love it that men are also allowing themselves this type of expression. Once again, I feel hope. Whodathunk it? That a design revolution is coming about not in the form of rebellion but in the form of genuine creativity….humor and a style that is less about function (although function is a big part of it) than about being genuinely creative–Expressionist Design is also what I’ve heard it called but that doesn’t give it it’s due because the stuff that is being turned out right now just indicates a yearning, a clear shift to the creative side from the tech turned hard edge industrial turned innovative. 

Just in the knick of time, I was beginning to not be able to breathe from all of the regurgitated designs flooding the market for years now since the new millenium began. It’s like we’ve found our footing in this time, which is now the future. Thank God we are not robots!

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