Platforms

April 12, 2012

When it comes to pushing the fashion envelope in footwear design, Jeffrey Campbell continues to shock and awe us with his skills and imagination. In true daredevil style, the JC girl is undaunted by the hype of her” can’t-touch-me platform,” a true collector of the latest, greatest, statement-making shoes.

The latest Jeffrey Campbell shoe collaboration is with Black Milk Clothing, now available for pre-order, only at Solestruck.com. This idiosyncratic alliance makes sense in its own odd way. Black Milk Clothing is most well-known for their patterned leggings, from Beetlejuice stripes to Galaxy prints, the way-out patterns shun the trends that guide the popular fashion world. Jeffrey Campbell creates shoes from a vintage angle, also with the bias for a street style sentiment. The new collection flaunts the “Sick of Men” print and a “Galaxy” print, to name few, in heels and platforms that just plain rock.

Go ahead, stop traffic.

-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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November 4, 2011

The Latest Collections: WeSC, Dr. Martens, Rousseau, Incase, More

by fashion pulse contributor

[Image via WeSC Lookbook]

We attended a bevy of spring 2012 collections, bringing forth our most favorite brands and products with the most amazing items for the upcoming season to FPD’s readers. Check out the roundups below, and enjoy!

WeSC (WeAretheSuperlativeConspiracy):

WeSC was founded in 1999 in Stockholm, Sweden. From then until now, WeSC has become a culmination of dynamic people, often activists, and the apparel holds on to that spirit with it’s washed out crop tops, chambray, and funky bathing suits. With a semi-skater appeal, the tees, sweats, and denim are perfect to hang out, chill, and have a good time in.

[Mata Hari Collection, Image via Delphine Charlotte Lookbook]

Delphine Charlotte

“A woman on the rise to power” inspired jewelry designer Delphine Charlotte to create her SS12 line of costume jewelry. Half art-deco, half Hollywood glam, the collection includes rhinestones, pearls, circles, cages and more! The necklaces are the standout pieces for FPD.

[Cartegena Leather 3-Tie Shoe in Raspberry, Image via Dr. Martens Lookbook]

Dr. Martens

The now classic Dr. Martens shoes, especially boots for spring show a lot of crocodile, monochrome (my personal favorite) and bright neon hues. Apparel holds on to the same history of innovative youth culture: embrace being an individual.

[“Bizante” Jacket Image via Duvetica Lookbook]

Duvetica

Despite the fact that the line is for SS12, each piece of outerwear has at least 5% down. Great for traveling, many of these jackets can fit into a small pouch zipped into the jacket itself. So fun-ctional!

[Images via Rousseau Lookbook]

Jerome C. Rousseau

Yet again, Rousseau has crafted incredibly distinctive shoes, heels, and flats meant for the girl who is not afraid to be admired (ie: Siobhan Fahey). The coral suede platform with platinum leather is certainly one of the standouts from the spring season’s collection. Modern art, pop culture, European design and nightlife are just some of Rousseau’s many muses. There are jewels, glitter, ribbons, mesh, ostrich, cheetah… need I say more?

[Campus Pack Image via Incase Lookbook]

Incase

If you’re reading this blog, you very well know the value of technology in our modern, demanding, hectic live over here at FPD. We can thank brands like Incase for always creating reliable products (covers, backpacks, cases and sleeves) to protect and enhance our Apple gadgets. I’m particularly glad to see the company continuing with the Andy Warhol collaboration, a man who understood contemporary culture well (and a native of our editor Julia’s hometown, Pittsburgh!). Fashion, meet functionality.

-Alana Quagliariello

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