clogs

March 8, 2012

UGG Australia: Women’s Spring 2012 Collection

“California Dream”

When you think of UGG Australia, you may already think of transitioning to California beach living, a breezy lifestyle characterized by comfort, crashing waves and raffia wedges. UGG journeyed back in time to the California of the 1940s, a more glamorous era of sunshine and sophistication. The brand’s version of the “California Dream” centers around color and print as the mediums for artistic freedom.

Lucianna

The company’s roots run deep in California, as is evidenced by the new chic silhouettes harkening to the days when dancing on a yacht along the Malibu coastline was commonplace. The Isla Collection boasts bright and strappy espadrilles, while the Clog Collection uses leathers, suedes, and cotton weaves with floral perforated mosaic patterns. Meanwhile, the new Comfort and Beach Casual Collections feature none other but the fashionable, comfortable flip flop. Other collections include Sport, Classic, Classic Knit, and Lo Pro.

Classic Straw Tote and Santorini ikat Scarf BagFrayed Solid Pareo Wrap

Continuing with this theme, UGG’s apparel options fit right in with young Hollywood style. Lightweight ponchos will battle rainy days while those chillier nights will call for bomber jackets in soft goat suede. Hooded silk wraps (of the Shangri-La Collection) make a strong comeback in every shade from boysenberry to black and white. Lifestyle pieces run rampant in this seasonal collection including V-neck tanks, racer backs and more.

(The collections mentioned will be available at UGG Australia retail locations, www.uggaustralia.com, and several department stores in January 2012.)

“UGG Collection“

Things really heated up, or, at least my pulse quickened, with the delivery of UGG Collection’s bold designs in exotic materials. Talk. About. Luxe! Inspired by Mid-Century Modern architecture and furniture, the UGG Collection offers a more refined on footwear and handbags. Natural elements of water, sea glass, shells and indigenous plants to the Adriatic coast elevate this line to another level.

Marcella

All materials used for this particular line are sourced in Italy, including stingray, salmon skin, python, ostrich leathers and more! These are the furthest thing from your furry, worn in UGG boots. You’ll want to treat these with ultimate care as the collection flaunts sensuous sculptured heels out of a richly veined rosewood (most often used for making guitars!) and hardware.

Onorina

We are already coveting The Onorina, an open toe bootie featuring hand-woven tanned leathers, and the impeccable Amara Tote duplicated in the same vachetta leather. Price points for footwear range from $550-$950 and handbags from $495 to $995, available only at select high-end retailers, UGG Flagship stores and at www.uggaustralia.com as of February 1, 2012.

-Alana Quagliariello

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December 15, 2011

SS12 Previews: tuleste market, Azature, milk&honey, United Nude, Hyden Yoo and Mavi

by fashion pulse contributor

As we continue to preview Spring/Summer 2012 collections, we’ll pick and choose what we believe you will love as much as we do! Enjoy!

tuleste market

California Natives Satu and Celeste Greenberg grew up traveling and compiling thrift store finds to create novel, modern jewelry; hence their own line dubbed tuleste market. With their love of taking something from old to new again, they have created pieces “meant to be linked together, layered, and worn numerous ways.” Versatile handbags (LOVE the Treena wristlets in red and grey above for $275) and footwear (diamond and draped heel shapes) followed suit in the second and third seasons respectively. Female super heroes inspired this SS12 collection, but I say power to these designers in their futuristic vision with its classic vintage feel.

Azature

Unique fine jewelry and black diamond specialists, Azature, take a sophisticated approach to jewelry with black pearls, platinum metal, and blue topaz in the SS12 Adamande Collection ($5,000 and up). After great success, designer Azature launched a 2011 diffusion line AZ by Azature (already worn by Rihanna), which uses semi-precious metals and stones and pure foils ($100-$500). Nothing short of exciting, the designer himself told me, “The sky is the limit.”

milk & honey

Design your own shoes! That’s the ingenious premise behind milk&honey; choose the toe, strap, heel height, color and material (they even do vegan shoes) to customize your own perfect shoe. Sounds like every girl’s dream, right?! Peeking at the swatches, I could already envision about ten pairs of shoes as I mentally tossed around silhouettes and color combos. The shoes take about 6-8 weeks, but the DIY feature is worth the wait.

United Nude

United Nude launched in 2003 with the “Mobius” shoe, but since then has played around with the intersection between sculptural design, fashion, and technology to establish its brand in over 40 countries worldwide. Architectural and artistic, yet elegant and cutting edge, the United Nude shoes for spring boast crazy bright laces, abstract clog-heels and more! I haven’t stopped thinking about the Eamz pump with it’s golden heel parallel to the floor or the Abstract Rome Wedges, ideal for any spring ensemble.

Hyden Yoo

For SS12, light fabrics helped play up the duality between youth and maturity, while longer maxi skirts and dresses kept the edgy downtown vibe of Hyden Yoo’s collection. Inspired by Romantic Neocolonialism, Yoo linked notions of taboo and subtle eroticism to explore nostalgic beauty. Cropped capes played with the idea of 1920’s societal angst, but for me, the true beauty revolved around the delicate maxis (pictured above).

Mavi

The fashion philosophy behind Mavi is simple: to build a brand around perfect fitting jeans that convey an exotic feel in terms of fashion and detail. Mavi means “blue” in Turkish, and Mavi was the first Turkish brand to go global. Mavi Denim, retailing at around $98 and Mavi Gold Premium Denim, retailing at around $138, continue to provide fashion-forward denim, both traditional and the more standout, the colored collection, for an eccentric global clientele.

-Alana Quagliariello

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January 26, 2011

Spring Fever Comes Early with Peeptoe Clogs

by Julia DiNardo

This post is from our friends at thefind.com

Given the fashion world’s love affair with clogs, despite our original skepticism, by now it’s no surprise that the trend isn’t just a one-season fad. Ever since Chanel surprised us by breaking them out on the Spring 2010 runway, the risky look has slowly been surely been making its way into mainstream style, with wearable versions now being spotted in every department store shoe department (and online boutique)! And now that more timid fashionistas aren’t as confused and befuddled by the idea of modern takes on clogs, the style is pushing the style boundaries with seasonal updates like shearling, platform soles, and now peeptoes as we make our way into spring. Peeptoe clogs are a little easier to take in than the traditional silhouette because the open toe makes the shoe less clunky and a bit more streamlined. I love the tasseled loader-inspired pair from French Connection, but for something a bit dressier, the sandal look of these Jimmy Choo suede clogs are sexy without taking away from the charm of the style. If you like a sleeker look without the studs, these Diane von Furstenberg peeptoes are a great pair to ease into the trend, but if you’re shopping on a budget, Forever 21 has a pair for a fraction of the cost!

– Alex Gambardella

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August 12, 2010

Not Your Mother’s Swedish Hasbeens

by fashionpulse

It can be great fun to hark back to the nostalgic styles of the 60s and 70s, but also important to execute the look just so, in order to not look too ironic and time period perfect. Instead, channel retro styles in pastel and virbant hues like a Swede, with the shoes and boots from Swedish Hasbeens. Voted the 2008 Trend of the Year at the Trend Award Gala in Stockholm, the brand is retro chic made even cooler with their nature-friendly practices; styles such as the Lace-up Booties ($310), the Peep toe Sky High ($177), and the Braided Sky High ($188) channel the classic clog, but are all made from alder and lime-tree wood and rubber, use chrome-free leather, and are vegetable tanned in delicate pastels. According to Swedish Hasbeens, you can wear their shoes for a lifetime, and if you don’t, you can always bury them and they will disappear! In regard to their name reference, the brands says: “A Hasbeen shows their love for creativity, joy and quality in what they wear.” Rather than think has been, channel the laid back vibes of the decades of yore, with some contemporary styling and an injection of the best of your on individual fashion sense.