Swedish borne, Paris based brand Burfitt is new at Marie Saeki showroom and an exciting addition indeed--the headpieces and masks jumped out at us from the table, they are a favorite of stylists and an avant garde addition to Burfitt's ready to wear collection. The clothing itself is totally wearable as much as it's left-of-center, baggy, and artsy. Two main components made up the Spring 09 collection, namely, dark denim pieces and paint-splattered/silk screen pieces. Very cool indeed.
Acote, the footwear brand that's a sibling to (or branch of) Cotelac, put out two pairs of Spring 09 shoes that we just couldn't get over--how can two perfect pairs of flat ankle boots not be on sale when we want a pair most? The first was a nude suede boot with a fold over cuff. We pictured wearing them into the ground and never, ever throwing them away. The second was a charcoal grey pair with a contrasting nude interior. We imagined them with Spring dresses and skirts...and just about keeled over. Cotelac, much like Coclico (and, in fact, the other brands at Marie Saeki showroom) is a brand that veers more toward 'classic' than 'high fashion' and what we like about this is that you get the sense that these items are long lasting. Nothing in the Acote Spring 09 line is something you'll be tired of seeing by Spring, nothing is too trendy that you'll fear wearing them the following season if you like. We're starting to see the value in this aesthetic more and more these days...
There are no two sports activities closer to fashion than yoga and running--it is a result-yielding combination, an unspoken ritual for many women in the industry. Lucky for Falke their ergonomic women's sportswear focuses on those two activities exclusively. In bright colors and state of the art fabrics, this sportswear collection, we think, blows Adidas out of the water. Some of the Falke Spring 09 pieces were so cool we began imagining them as proper fashion outfits. Once we moved over to the super soft undergarments and hosiery, we were straight-up ready to swear off denim and cocktail dresses forever. If you're disciplined enough to hit the gym after work everyday we think you deserve to wear clothing that's both comfortable and fashionable.
Acote Spring 09 collection at Marie Saeki showroom. Acote is the sister line to Cotelac.
Alice Ritter's wild, champagne-filled presentation was what started our New York Fashion Week this past Fall 08, but this season Ritter decided to skip the excess and focus her energies on making a closely edited, salable collection. We can say that she was successful in her process, especially by way of the trousers. Today we saw four pairs of the same billowed trousers in four different fabrications. It was efficient on her part and will be indulgent for consumers because these pants will likely be snatched up in all four fabrics by Ritter fans. Our personal favorites were the hunter green washed silk pair, that would look amazing with heels and a simple cotton blouse come Summer. Billowy pants with an elastic waistband, ankle cuffs, and side pockets are our new Spring 09 plight. After all, it only takes one pattern to spend a lot of money.
Today we ventured into Manhattan for a press preview at the Marie Saeki showroom--nestled on a downtown cobblestone street it is one of our favorite showrooms to visit. Today we started the preview off with the shoe line Coclico, which we remember from our first years in New York--their shop is located on Mott Street in Nolita which was (and still is) our favorite weekend jaunt. The French brand was borne back in 2000 and puts sustainable practices at the forefront of production. Coclico's aesthetic is classic and comfortable but still fashion forward. Our favorite shoes from the collection were the salmon colored sandals with a wooden wedge sole and the white and grey peep toe sandals, which are also part of the Fall 08 line in different colors.
We we were first introduced to the ladies at Marie Saeki PR during Alice Ritter's wild and crazy presentation, on the first day of New York Fashion Week. Among the chaos, Yurika Nakazono and Marie Saeki, ushered us backstage, made sure we got interviews with everyone from hair to makeup to models. When Ritter was barraged with journalists, taking notes and pictures, Yurika and Marie held our elbows, gave us a glass of champagne, and put us in front of the designer for our two minute moment of privacy. Needless to say, they have been one of our favorite showrooms ever since. One random afternoon, we popped in to pull some sunglasses for a shoot we had neither story boarded nor booked models for. Marie, the showrooms founder and former Accessories lady for Elle, sat down with us for a chat about the showroom and its recent projects. The showroom has an international roster of clients, they represent everything from sportswear to cameras, from ready-to-wear to eyeglasses. In spite of this, their team is small, and their relationships with the people they work with, close. We think people like Marie and Yurika, who do a great deal for their designers (among them, Alice Ritter, Petit Bateau, Theo, Falke, Selima Optique, Michel Perry, and Anne et Valentin) and the press, are a pivotal part of the fashion industry and, therefore, worthy of their own interview (if short). Afterall, Everybody Is A Star today on Coutorture.
