FabSugar

Peter Som Talks East Coast vs. West Coast Style, and Holiday Indulgences

Chi Diem Chau — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:38:53 PST

Encompassing a penchant for laid-back elegance, Peter Som has left the industry smitten with his effortlessly beautiful gowns and separates. With fans ranging from FLOTUS Michelle Obama to celebs like Eva Mendes, it's safe to say the San Francisco native has created a buzz worth talking about. Most recently, the designer teamed up with Rent the Runway to offer a few of his party dresses and shared with us his holiday season indulgences, thoughts on East Coast vs. West Coast style, and celebrities he would like to dress. Listen up:

On East Coast vs. West Coast style: "It's all about the ease and nonchalance of West Coast style mixed with the high-impact glamour of East Coast dressing. In other words - never look like you've tried too hard (even if you did!)."

On celebrities he would like to dress: "There are so many women who inspire me for their talent, spirit, and confidence! I'd love to dress Cate Blanchett."

On his favorite indulgent holiday treat: "I love cooking and baking so it would have to be my Panettone bread pudding."

On the best and worst presents he ever received: "All presents are great if there's thought behind them."

Derek Lam Dishes on His New 10 Crosby Collection, Holiday Dressing, and the Best Career Advice

Hannah Weil — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:06:12 PST

We've long-loved Derek Lam's namesake label; now the designer behind the minimalist, street-cool separates and chic dressing is giving us something else to gush about. His newly launched 10 Crosby collection is another foray into covetable clothing, this time with a lower price point ($195 to $895) and ultra-wearable line of easy silhouettes and fabrics. We got a peek at the new Resort collection during a sit-down last night at Barneys - and we were charmed almost as much by 10 Crosby's silky printed pajama pants as we were by the ever-delightful designer. Read what Derek has to say about the inspiration behind the new line, the best career advice he's ever received, and his holiday wish list.

Derek on the woman he had in mind when designing 10 Crosby:
I think that was the reason I used 10 Crosby as the label. There were so many great moments where someone was walking down the street and I'm like, 'God, she's super stylish, or she's very inspiring' and that's what I kind of use as my inspirations. I think 10 Crosby the address is so unique. It's one of my favorite streets in all of New York City. It's got high design, great furniture design, great fashion designers. It's a microcosm of something that I think is very special, very unique. It's got that perfect mix that I love about New York.

On the conceptual idea of 10 Crosby and his customer:
Can I say that it's me as a feminine? Truly, I think why I'm so excited about it, about doing 10 Crosby is that it's speaking to me as a consumer and I think that's really important and I think that's what keeps me really excited.

Find out more about the collection, as well as Derek's Winter party dressing tips and what's on his holiday wish list when you keep reading.

Whitney Port Works Wine Country, Shares Her Sensible Style Tips For Fall

Brittney Stephens — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:00:15 PDT

Whitney Port has been on our style radar for quite some time now - we love her effortless appeal and inventive mix-and-match skills - and even though the star of The Hills and The City is "relieved to not have to dress [up] for the cameras anymore," it doesn't mean she's slowing down. Whitney has been hard at work designing the Spring '12 collection for her line Whitney Eve and recently teamed up with Chandon and the National Breast Cancer Foundation for a night of fashion, sparkling wine, and charity on a gorgeous evening in Napa. We headed to Domaine Chandon to check out the Whitney Eve presentation and talk to the style star about her work with the NBCF, her design inspiration, and her plans for Fall dressing.

FabSugar: What inspired you to get involved with the National Breast Cancer Foundation?
Whitney Port: I have family members that have been affected by the disease, and I really want to stress the importance of early detection. It's so crucial to go out and get tested, because the earlier they find something, the better chances you have of survival.

FS: You've lived in NYC and Los Angeles - how do you differentiate East Coast vs. West Coast dressing?
WP: When I lived in New York, I was inspired to dress up a lot more, and look more sophisticated. But when I'm in LA, I prefer to keep things casual - most days when I go to the office I'm in cutoffs, a t-shirt, and Converse sneakers. I'm so relieved to not have to dress up for the camera anymore. It's fun to go out and do events and get dolled up, but most of the time I'm just at a bar with friends, totally dressed down.

Click through to read more quotes from Whitney and see the ladylike, quirky-cool Spring collection for Whitney Eve.

Photos courtesy of Drew Altizer Photography

Michelle Trachtenberg Talks Fall Fashion at Mulberry's 40th Anniversary Bash

Hannah Weil — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:35:03 PDT

Last night, Mulberry celebrated its 40th birthday, drawing a crowd of fashion week front-rowers and stylish celebs to NYC's Skylight Studios West to fête the anniversary. While the crowd sipped Prosecco and noshed on miniature rice-crispy treats, Kasabian rocked the rooftop lounge, drawing Alexa Chung and Anna Dello Russo to the dance floor. There, we spotted Gossip Girl's Georgina, aka the lovely Michelle Trachtenberg, and found out exactly what the actress has on her Fall wish list. Check out Michelle's fashion must haves, and then click through for a glimpse of all the celebs at last night's bash.

On the perfect pair of pants: "I think I'm of the age where I need to start investing in smart pants. I'm not talking anything pleats, I'm just talking about menswear-inspired, as opposed to always reaching for my black skinny jeans."
On the search for a great coat: "I'm looking for a great gray [coat] - kind of like a mix between a wool and a silk trench coat if that makes any sense."
On the perfect Fall shoe: "A really great statement shoe, a colorful heel."

Diane von Furstenberg Chats About Her Spring Collection, Favorite Hobbies, and More at FNO

Chi Diem Chau — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:30:07 PDT

Fashion's Night Out in NYC yesterday was, as expected, a crazy, rockin' time. In between shopping and mingling, we caught up with the wonderful Diane von Furstenberg and chatted about her favorite thing about FNO, (not) staying sane during fashion week, and what to expect in her upcoming Spring '12 show. Listen up for the 411 from one of the world's most successful designers.

On Fashion's Night Out: It's so nice to walk the streets and just see that there are things happening.

On (not) staying sane during fashion week: I have my fashion show, so I'm not that sane right now. There's no time to relax.

On her Spring '12 collection: It's very fresh, and it's called Beginnings. Beginnings and hope, the inspiration is a little bit African.

On why she likes designing for Spring: Spring is all about color. My show is on 9/11, so I just wanted something very happy and that's why I called the collection Beginnings.

On what she likes to do when she's not designing: I like to read, hike, swim, and travel. I just read Sleeping With the Enemy, which is a very interesting book about Coco Chanel.

Now check out more images from her fun FNO party in SoHo!

Photo courtesy of marQue dimesa

Joan Smalls Talks Fashion Week Survival and Fall Obsessions at FNO!

Hannah Weil — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:10:14 PDT

At last night's David Yurman fête, we caught up with the gorgeous Joan Smalls - one of our favorite fab faces and the face of Yurman's Fall '11 campaign. Between bites of mini-cheesecake and black and white cookies, Joan shared a few bits of fashion week survival strategy, her favorite part of the week, and what she's toting from show to show.

On fashion week prep: Get a lot of sleep, I drink a lot of water, go to the gym, make sure you're strong enough to walk down that runway.
Favorite thing about fashion week: Those 30 seconds on the runway. That's your time to shine, that's your time to show the beautiful garment that's been created for so long. I think that's the one moment that excites me the most.
Fashion week indulgence: Chocolate.
Off-duty style: Casual, classic-chic always. Sometimes funky depending on my mood - like tonight, I'm wearing flats with a dress because it's FNO, and I need to be comfortable.
Inside her bag: Some heels, portfolio, my makeup wipes from Estee Lauder - cucumber, which is good, because after all that rubbing and scrubbing all that makeup on your face, it cools your face down before you get more makeup applied, which is pretty essential . . . and, cell phone.
Fall fashion obsession: I just got my new fashion obsession: a Givenchy jacket with the panthers and the orchids. I'm waiting until it gets cold, so I can finally use it.

Photo courtesy of David Yurman

Pre-Fashion Week Profile: Yigal Azrouel Shares His FNO Plans, Guilty Pleasures, Plus an Exclusive Sketch!

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:00:51 PDT

With just days before Fashion Week, we caught up with the dapper Yigal Azrouel - whose designs have been worn by Rihanna, Olivia Wilde, and Gwyneth Paltrow to name a few - to chat about what he does to stay sane during the madness, his Fashion's Night Out plans, and songs on his playlist. Check out an exclusive sketch from his Cut25 Spring 2012 collection below, then start reading to learn more about the designer.

Guilty pleasure during Fashion Week: Massages!

Fashion’s Night Out plans: It’s the night before my women’s show, but I will be at Saks both for Yigal Azrouël and Cut25.

Favorite songs: Hot Chip's “Hand Me Down Your Love”, MGMT's “Someone’s Missing”, and LCD Soundsystem's “Dance Yrself Clean.”

Surprises for Spring '12: This is the first time that I am doing three shows so it is quite hectic, but that is what I find the most exhilarating about the whole process and experience. We are also experimenting with a lot of new proportions and playing with a lot of fabric manipulation.

Yigal talks about his favorite model of the moment, his Fall uniform, and post-Fashion Week plans

The Real Real Is the Real Deal in Designer Consignment Shopping

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:50:54 PDT

We've all done our fair share of scrounging around vintage and consignment boutiques in hopes of finding a great designer deal, but we all know how hard that can be. Now, what if we told you we found a shop where you can buy some amazing vintage and past-season designer shoes, clothing, and bags - from the likes of Celine, Dolce & Gabbana, and Thakoon to name a few - all online. Amazing, yes? That's where newly conceived online designer consignment shop The Real Real comes into play. Not only did we check out and shop the site ourselves (one of our editors scored on an amazing pair of Chanel shoes for $145!), we spoke with one of its founders, Marcy Carmack, to learn more:

FabSugar: How do you determine authenticity with the items you receive?
Marcy Carmack: We rely on a team of experts across the US including former executives in all top fashion houses.

FS: How many new items do you receive on a weekly basis?
MC: It just depends, we got 500 pieces in one day from a celebrity. That is not an everyday occurrence, yet!

FS: Your site sells past season and vintage items, what are some timeless designer pieces every girl should invest in?
MC: Chanel, Louis Vuitton luggage, Hermés handbags, and quality costume jewelry. Good design is not just this season but there is good design every year.

Now that you have the down low, check out our top ten designer picks from today's curated selections then sign up (it's free) to be a member and start shopping!

Alexis Bittar Talks Jewelry Essentials

Hannah Weil — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:32:00 PDT

Over the weekend, Alexis Bittar gave SF an intimate look at his Fall collection. Afterward, we caught up with the designer to talk jewelry essentials and his favorite pieces. The design genius has been busy - super busy - balancing editorial demands, the launch of his Spring collection, as well as a fine jewelry line to come. So, when we found ourselves with a moment to pick his brain, we couldn't help but ask what the jewelry guru might recommend for us. Granted, there's a part of us that just wants to dress up in one of the head pieces he's designed for Lady Gaga, but in terms of wearability it may not be our best bet. Instead, click through to see which jewels Alexis Bittar would select for your workday, date night, and beyond - then peruse the gorgeous baubles.

Madewell's Gigi Guerra Talks Styling Tips and Her Favorite Pieces

Hannah Weil — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:19:50 PDT

There are few things better than a Madewell store opening in your city - unless of course, you get a tour with one of the brilliant fashion minds behind the brand. Enter marketing director Gigi Guerra, who joined us yesterday in the new SF store to walk us through the label's latest, her favorite pieces, and how she styles it all up to hit that quintessential Madewell-cool. According to Gigi, it's all about "stuff that’s very boy-meets-girl, not super feminine but more inspired by your boyfriend stuff so it has a little bit of the tomboy edge to it" - click through to shop her picks and see how it's done.