Saturday, December 18, 2010

PRADA F/W '10 Men's RTW Runway Fringe Loafer

With my depressingly-short time in south Florida all but a sweltery memory and the last remnants of a golden Miami Beach suntan fading from my skin, I am hunkered down, shoulders into the wind, and ready for a cold, traffic-crippling winter in the nation's capital.  ...at least, for the next three days anyway, before I fly to southern California.

Readers might recall a posting on the Bal Harbour shops in Miami Beach, in which I chronicled my haute adventure in what could possibly be most America's most swank "mall"(collection of boutiques.) While, upon reading that post, it may have seemed that I communicated all there was to tell about my experiences at Bal Harbour, I purposely left one additional story out, as I believed it was special enough to warrant its own post.

While the Prada boutique at Bal Harbour contained most items one could wish for from the then-current F/W collection, there were several items noticeably missing: the runway shoes directly below (continue reading):





There was something incredibly odd, original, vintage and modern about each of these shoes that only Prada could pull off--it's as if they were caricatures; modern versions of classic shoes. (Think: the minimalist, modern but traditional suits in 2001: A Space Odyssey.)  See below how seamlessly they pair with slim-cut dress pants.  (I'm purposely ignoring the oddly-proportioned non-seequitor coat.)  


I decided I needed to see if I could pull these shoes off.  The extremely limited stock of select styles (not to include any color variations of the fringe loafer) had been immediately sold out at the Prada boutique, the associate apologetically tells me: strike one.  Try Neiman Marcus he helpfully suggests.  No one in the men's department has any idea what I'm referring to when I get there: strike two.  I walk to Saks Fifth Avenue, where I find the pair below...


 ...in an exquisite oxblood color, but in a Lilliputian size that I squeezed into for approximately 10 seconds to take those photos: strike 3.  These weren't a total loss however.  To me, the fringe detail stood out just a bit too much for my tastes to render them unwearable as a daily work dress shoe.  Now...to track them down in a solid color...

Fast forward one month: dark brown, in my size, acquired.  My methods will remain proprietary as the best prestidigitators never reveal the secrets to their best tricks.  Please enjoy the fruits of my labor, I am whole-heartedly delighted with my sleuthing:

Sunday, November 21, 2010

LANVIN + H&M Hiver 2010

Saturday, November 20th, 2010, Miami Beach, Florida, 4am.

No matter how aurally pleasing even the most delightful alarm may sound when selected, upon hearing it in the dead hours of the night, one might equate it with that of an air raid siren; an ominous shriek prompting a quickening of the pulse, momentary disorientation, and an immediate innate need to gather one's wits.

bzzzzzzzzz cathedral bells bzzzzzzzzz cathedral bells bzzzzzzzzz...

I blearily flail a blindman's arm to my bedstand, searching for my iPhone 4 to turn off the alarm.  Once accomplished after what seemed like another Pleistocene era, I think: "(Expletive! Verb me Adj.!) Is this really going to be worth it?" I was undecided as to why I had chosen to sadistically wake myself up on a Saturday morning but remembered the opportunity that lay ahead of me, should I choose to accept the quest...

The Lanvin <3 H&M collection was only going to be available in two Florida locations: Orlando and West Palm Beach.  The closest to Miami Beach was located in the Gardens Mall, in Palm Beach Gardens, at a driving (maybe speeding) distance of about about an hour and a half.  I had called the store the night before and when I inquired into their expectations for crowds arriving for the launch, I was told to arrive "5am-ish".  Now that I was awake--I mentally committed to go, mostly because what I aspired to acquire, if I were so lucky to enter when items were still available, were almost entirely going to be Christmas presents for others. (I did however very much want the Creme suit jacket; the Navy version makes an appearance below.)

I arrived to a mostly deserted parking lot around 5:30, and, fully committed to getting a competitive place in line, got out and walked to the entrance of the mall to wait it out.  My exit from my own vehicle was apparently all the motivation others needed, and as if choreographed, multiple car doors opened at once, and people made their way tentatively to the mall entrance to queue up.  It was an eclectic but friendly and well-behaived group (for savage haute couture fashion piranhas hungry for Lanvin meat).  Fortuitously, I had the opportunity to sit next to an impeccably-styled gal whose encyclopedic and intimidating knowledge of obscure fashion, made passing the hours before the opening a true pleasure.  I highly recommend her blog.

We made a pact to attempt to stick together in line and to try to snag pieces for each other, if it came to that.  Promptly at 8:00, a door opened and she and I were one of the very first ones to run through the deserted mall (think McCallister family racing to catch a flight in Home Alone), and arrive at the velvet ropes of the entrance into H&M.  Our sprint was not in vain for we secured the coveted entrance bracelets of the first group to enter, meaning, whatever this store had received, would be available to our group first.

To shop the men's collection, a bracelet was not needed, though a group was forming to be the first into that section of the store as well (possibly to be the first to get their hands on the highly coveted trench or the rare tuxedo of which this particular location had only received six examples?)  I decided I was to make the best use of my place in line and shop the women's collection first, making efficient use of my whirlwind 15 minutes.  Sufficed to say, everything from the women's collection that I had sought to get, I left with.  There will be some very happy people come Christmas morning this year.

Upon securing the items from the women's collection, I promptly made my way downstairs to the men's. As I surveyed the area, it was fascinating to see which items had gone the quickest and which had been left almost completely untouched.  The tuxedos were of course the first to go, as there were only six examples, one in each size. Second, (oddly) were the sunglasses, and third, were the navy suit jackets with satin lapels and pocket detailing. (The creme jackets went to other stores I was told.)  Predictably, there were many examples left of both of the extremely (and dare I say, of questionable taste?) purple t-shirts.  It was possible that these could have been immensely popular and that H&M had simply restocked the items, but I didn't believe that to be the case.  The neckties with sequins and the draw-string pants almost universally sat ignored.  As I perused the khaki trench coats, the long navy overcoats and the plaid blazers, I spotted, hidden, a tuxedo, complete with pants.  My hand broke the sound barrier reaching for it, haute couture sonic BOOM!  I originally had not intended to get the tuxedo as I believed the flower details was a bit much for my tastes.  As I examined it, I was pleasantly surprised two-fold: first, the flower was actually a removable pin; and secondly, it was thoughtfully and tastefully designed and added a conversation piece to an otherwise safe, albeit it superbly-cut tuxedo.  Additionally, I noticed that one example of the navy sport coat remained, in my size no less.  Upon trying these two complete looks on,  it became very apparent how small the sizes ran: it necessitated that I go up two sizes in the pants.

As a final memorable touch, H&M graciously encouraged me to take the hangers home with me, and gave me a canvas garment bag each for my purchases from the men's collection, pictures of which, can all be found below.

Merci bien Monsieur Elbaz.

Even the garment bags were thoughtfully designed. 



Hangers for pieces in the Men's collection featured blue hearts; for the women's collection it was pink.

Beautiful detail on the removable tuxedo flower embellishment. 
Satin buttons complimented the satin lapels, and were an understated surprise touch.
The midnight blue suit will also features satin details throughout.
The pocket detail which I initially planned to remove is growing on me.  


Monday, November 15, 2010

New PRADA RTW F/W 2010 & LANVIN RTW F/W 2009 acquisitions on their way...

Think something leather literally right off the runway for one...

something rubber, suede and urban off the streets of Paris for another...

& something nylon for travel for the last...

Any guesses?

Stay tuned...

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Jeremy Scott for Adidas JS Wings 2.0 White Marble

In 2008, Adidas paired with American designer Jeremy Scott to launch an apparel and footwear collaboration line called Jeremy Scott for Adidas originals by originals, in which standout pieces from the collection include modified versions of the iconic Metro Attitude High sneaker.  In 2010, the Metro Attitude High gets the Jeremy Scott treatment again--most notably, in the form of a Greek statuesque marble winged shoe.  This shoe makes one wonder that if they were to go to the Louvre, would they find the Athena Nike demanding her winged sandals be returned?

In previous iterations, Jeremy Scott's winged Metro Attitude highs had removable leather wings, whereas in this latest version, the wings are affixed to the side of the shoe.  The look can be modified slightly by tightening and loosening laces hidden at the back of the shoe.  The muted marble leather print is an unexpected but haute detail that makes these shoes a wearable and parable instant classic: a modern-day Hermes/Mercury, if you will.  But that's just my opinion.  Just don't shoot the messenger.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

LANVIN JERSEY TSHIRT RTW S/S 2010

If Bal Harbour Shops afford the residents of south Florida their closest taste to the couture of the Champs-Elysee, then the Webster is akin to a mini-Selfridges.  The Webster, which sits along Collins Avenue, occupying the physical space of a Henry Hohauser 1930s art deco building, consists of three levels of the rarest of the rare of contemporary men's and women's fashion.  Think: Balenciaga high-tops, Balmain motorcycle jeans, Lanvin flower lapel pins, Prada cammo trenchcoats, Spurr denim, Tom Ford tuxedos, and Trussardi feathered weekenders.

It is truly an uncommon, albiet welcomed thing, to stock all these rarities in one location.  That said, it is another to be able to talk the talk of high fashion.  The staff of the Webster are all completely (and refreshingly) conversant in each of the lines they carry, to include rare and obscure collaborative collection pieces.  As an example, I received a sincere compliment on my Acne denim for Lanvin F/W 2009 (this is how the compliment was rendered) hightops, I was wearing at the time.  I took this as a sign that we could being speaking the same language...

I had noticed that they carried Lanvin and I inquired conversationally, as to extent of their knowledge of the current men's line, to include one rare piece in particular.  It so happened that, not only did they know exactly the piece of which I spoke, but that the Webster was one of the extreme select locations in the nation that had carried it.  I had unfortunately not seen it hanging with the other Lanvin men's garments, but I expressed my gratitude and amazement at knowing the Webster had had it at one point.  (It was like the old philatelist in Dial M For Murder who had briefly possessed, before returning them to Cary Grant's character, those incredibly rare stamps.)  I continued to browse and marvel at the selection.  Tom Ford suits, smoking jackets, tuxedos, velvet ties, opera slippers, etc.  Yves Saint Laurent double-breasted pea-coats, tuxedo shirts, satin and wool ties, etc.  Imagine my amazement when the sales associate returned, holding folded in her hand, exactly the piece I had been looking for, in my size, which had been hidden under a sweater on a mannequin.

Later that evening, the cake's icing arrived so to speak, in the form of an emailed 'thank you' for my patronage at the Webster.  No, thank you.


Even the detail of presenting the receipt in an envelope makes the experience memorable. 
The Webster
1220 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL. 33139

Friday, November 5, 2010

Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche RTW Chemisier Blanc

The Yves Saint Laurent take on the t-shirt has elevated the otherwise commonplace garment to a thing of timeless RTW lore.  The classically-tailored tee (no peculiar proportions or odd cuts), employs the finest and most exquisite white cotton, as the base.  True, this shirt is available in other color combinations, if one feels so inclined, but I selected what I consider to be the most representative of  Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent's own aesthetic: black and white.

What elevates this shirt to a classic, is its daring, yet sophisticated use of Yves Saint Laurent's initials, in the common short form default logo of the brand, YSL.  The just-right-sized (smaller and the it would look feminine, larger and it would look vulgarly ostentatious) initials are placed in the center of the shirt.  The final touch was to make the initials out of black velvet.


Yves Saint Laurent Boutique, Bal Harbour Shops
Yves Saint Laurent Men's F/W 2010 RTW Shoes