Falling for Spring Fashions

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week ushered in a new era this year with the historical move from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center and a major upgrade in technology: the addition of Fashion GPS-which streamlined communication and expedited check-in procedures.  Mayor Michael Bloomberg showed his support for the move, declaring, that he thought Lincoln Center would be a “perfect place for a fashion show–fashion is art.”  He went on to say, “New York City is fully committed to the health and growth of our fashion industry.”

The consensus among organizers and industry insiders was that this inaugural season at Lincoln Center was a success.  A common thread among designers for their spring collections was the presence of beige, which ruled the runways, alongside neighbors on the color palette, white and ivory-in sheer and non-sheer fabrics and the requisite spattering of black.  Several designers showcased vintage designs, including Gottex and Betsey Johnson, with a throwback to the 80s and Marc Jacobs with his Studio 54 inspired 70s designs, complete with vintage accessories and big floppy hats.

Despite having a mere 36 hours of non-stop fashion week bliss this season, which is akin to squeezing in all of Art Basel in one day or savoring South Beach Wine and Food Festival in a morning,  we’ve put together a brief recap of the good, the great and the “we-couldn’t-make-this-up-if we-tried!”

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Shoe addicts rejoice! Saks Fifth Avenue Dadeland has revamped and expanded its shoe department to mirror the famous shoe salon in New York. You know the one with its own zip code. The one you visit EVERY time you’re in the Big Apple. The one where we met Lindsay Price, Molly Sims, Lorraine Bracco, Nina Garcia, Stuart Weitzman, Betsey Johnson, Nigel Barker, Gloria Reuben, Bobby Flay, Stephanie March, Perrey Reeves, Pamela Roland and Wendy Williams at the unveiling of the Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper collection during the New York Fashion Week kick-off last season. Yes, that one. Now there’s a mini one right in our own back yard. We hear Imelda Marcos is shopping for a place in the greater Kendall area.

Dadeland’s 10022-SHOE will have shoe mavens flocking to its stunning new shoe haven, complete with three chandeliers, floating glass bubbles and over 1,000 shoes. New brands include Brian Atwood, Camilla Skovgaard and Elizabeth and James, which will join current favorites, CHANEL, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Prada and Giuseppe Zanotti, who will host a shoe signing on Saturday, October 10. Shoes are displayed like works of art (as they should be) on various posh surfaces, such as white glass, antique mirror, limestone, white Carrera marble and grey stained wood, and on modern tables from Eero Saarinen and Warren Platner. You can try on the masterpieces on stylish vintage furniture pieces and custom-designed curved banquettes.

So if Miu Mius, Valentinos, Givenchys and of course, those red-soled wonders make you simply swoon, put Dadeland’s 10022-SHOE salon on your itinerary. Oh, and be sure to give our best to Imelda. Read the rest of this entry »

On Saturday night, Destination Fashion hit the Shops of Bal Harbour, with an over-the-top party two years in the making. Barton G. transformed the luxury mall into a celebration through the ages: 70s, 80s, 90s and today, with enormous displays representing each decade. Over 2, 000 fashion-forward VIPs including celebrities, sports stars and philanthropic icons were able to get their groove on at Studio 54, munch on sushi with the Star Wars characters, sip cosmos with the girls from Sex and the City, and ponder the fabulosity of it all with the cast from Dynasty. The evening began with a call to action from award- winning actor and event co-chair, Tommy Lee Jones and superstar, Gloria Estefan, followed by testimonials by Nick Buoniconti and son, Marc. Next, Sultan of Style, Project Runway star, Michael Kors, wowed the crowd by presenting his spectacular fall collection straight from the runways of New York Fashion Week. The jaw dropping, bank-breaking, college fund-depleting show was set to a high-energy soundtrack which included Coldplay and New Order. Overheard among the crowd, approximately every fifteen seconds, “Gasp, I’m buying that!” After a lavish dinner at Neiman Marcus, the Pointer Sisters took over, performing a concert of their greatest hits, including He’s So Shy, Fire, Slow Hand, Automatic, Jump and, of course, I’m So Excited. There was barely any time to relish in the carbolicious rapture that was set up across the mall at Saks, where Willy Wonka challenged you to try one of the hundreds of dessert creations which covered every inch of every cosmetic counter before the Seal concert. Seal’s supermodel spouse, Heidi Klum was a no-show, but the crowd didn’t seem to mind, as Seal performed over 10 songs including Kiss from a Rose, Crazy and Prayer for the Dying. Famous faces at the bash included: Tommy Lee Jones, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Michael Kors, Anna Kournikova, Jerry Rice, Jack Nicklaus, Scottie Pippen, Pat Riley, Don Shula, Romero Britto, Edgerrin James, Clay Adler, Seamus Dever, Asante Samuel, Nat Moore, Carl Lewis, Tim Hardaway, Helio Castroneves, Robin Quivers, Nanette Lepore and Ed Reed among others. By all accounts, Destination Fashion was a huge success, raising over 3.8 million dollars for the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. To see the feature on Extra, go to: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2009/03/miami_sizzles_on_the_runway.php.

This article was originally published in the Miami SunPost on March 12, 2009.