DESIGNERS

Angeles Flor

Designers Angeles Janza and Flor Fiszman enjoy loud applause in their native Argentina and abroad. They combine traditional craftsmanship with modern designs and unusual techniques to produce contemporary and fashion jewelry made from aluminum and steel wire. I searched many jewelry lines, searching for work that avoided clichés and which reflected genuine individuality. These designers certainly won my vote in the jewelry selection election!

Beth Bowley

Who can resist a designer who’s both frivolous and sensible. I can’t! I liked her sensible affirmation of women who possess a strong sense of identity. I also liked her not-so-sensible attraction to the joys of open toe shoes during cold weather. And I have trouble resisting her belief in sometimes greeting the day at breakfast wearing a rhinestone tiara. Not that I have time to do so myself!! Hmm. Maybe I should acquire a rhinestone tiara!

Corey Lynn Calter

The San Francisco Opera! The punk scene in Philly! The Joffrey Ballet! Corey’s familiarity with these sub-cultures enticed me to examine her line. And I am glad I did. She continues to amaze. I wasn’t surprised to learn that Women’s Wear Daily has featured her creations on seven covers. By the way, her daughters’ finger paintings are pretty nifty, too. I kid you not!

 Looking put together is a cinch with this line…..it’s always on target, you look put together, but not overdone. From dramatic pieces to everyday items many garments have an added detail such as a drape, contrasting fabric, interesting cut that give the clothes an extra edge. This is a not even think about line, just wear it! I know, I own several pieces myself. Do celebrities like this line? Yes, indeed. Fans include Scarlett Johansson, Kristin Davis and Katie Couric.

Decades Denim

Sophisticated, irresistible, affordable day and night denim! Too good to be true? Believe me, it’s true. Fashion star Cameron Silver has combined his spectacular feel for style with former financial analyst, Angelique Soave, to create a new line that fills the void in the denim market. The insanely attractive and the appealing – that’s what the two partners have given us! What’s the grown up word for “groovy”? If I knew it I’d use it to describe their line.

Delano

Often mothers and daughters make beautiful music together; with Tamara and Britt Delano the “music” consists of a beautifully styled yet practical line of clothes that appealed to me at first sight. I couldn’t wait to try on their creations. Talk about generational collaboration! The result is a collection that achieves its distinctiveness through exuberant use of fabrics from Brazil to produce clothes that accent the feminine essence as well as making a bold statement. The Delanos aimed at transcending the ordinary and the conventional. They’ve succeeded!!

Desigual

Last Spring at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles I was refreshed not only by April showers but by a clothing line, Desigual from Barcelona, whose every stitch spelled f-u-n! These are not our mothers’ outfits. Indeed, they differ from competing lines as well. Seeing is believing! I was immediately taken with their unique way of mixing patterns and colors, reasonable prices too, for fun run around comfort clothes. And, I didn’t leave the store without purchasing an exuberant shirt that I wear with jeans, and always receive compliments on!

I was thrilled! What excited me was some gorgeous clothing that reminded me of art hanging on the walls of the Louvre. These creations are the product of the incredible imagination of famed French Couturier Christian Lacroix. I discovered that Monsieur Lacroix and Desigual have joined together to create a stunning collection with this fall's offering just the beginning. So, ladies, we are all in luck....designs by Monsieur Lacroix that scream with couture elements, with pricing closer to Desigual. I can't wait to wear the pieces, especially the Freeform red dress!

EMMA&EMILIE

This line is the perfect mix of sleek and comfort, basics with incredible details like asymmetrical hemlines, cut outs and contemporary ruching that are ideal for the modern woman. EMMA&EMILIE means urban sophisticated comfort clothes at their best! They are committed to sustainability using sustainable fabrics and vegetable dyes. EMMA&EMILIE was founded in 2010 by Los Angeles native Angelika McKay, and every aspect of the line, including production, is done in downtown Los Angeles.

Envirosax

Angela, my sister-in-law, presented me with the most stylish reusable bag I'd ever seen. A very loud "thank you" to Angela. These bags are made by an Australian family who not only talk the environmental talk, they also walk the walk as well. I’m not tempted to join them in their rain forest paradise, but I do admire the results—their carbon footprints are virtually non-existent. And their chic, inexpensive, compact, attractive bags, that sharply reduce the plastic that demolishes the natural world—well, in a real way these bags permit us to preserve and enjoy the world simultaneously. I cherish these strong, perky bags and have given several to friends as gifts. And I have received appreciative thank you notes in return!

Illia

Gone are the days when working out meant baggy sweats and who knows what else, none of which exactly enhanced our svelte selves. Leading the assault on the commonplace and drab is Karma Wear, a Vancouver, British Columbia company, that specializes in actionwear design. The fabrics, the variety, the comfort help make workouts a pleasure. Who wouldn’t want to look their best while moving their fastest? And despite my near-Olympic accomplishments (I hope no one who knows the truth is reading this!) my much used outfits hardly look worn!

Kate, who designs their jewelry, swam the English Channel twice at age 32 and once at age 41. Obviously this is a very determined and resourceful woman. And talented Designer as well. For her pieces that incorporate silver, she uses 99.9% pure tarnish resistant silver to create a subtle and lovely line that draws attention. Fortunately I don’t have to swim the English Channel to secure her jewelry.

Knock Knock

Being will organized isn’t much fun but it sure is necessary.  Cooking dinner is more enjoyable if I don’t have to launch an expedition to Mars to find the spices I need.  Tennis is more fun if I don’t have to e-mail my partner to remind me when and where we are playing next Tuesday.  As for paying bills—if I can dispatch this task efficiently there may be time to try that new polish on my nails…

            Knock makes the “getting organized” part of life easier and sometimes fun.  The dreary sameness of so much of their competition they avoid.  Their stationary and gift products also reflect their fusion of sensuous pleasure, utility and meaning.

Lesley Evers hails from my old stomping grounds, the San Francisco Bay Area, where they make all of their dresses. But it’s not just local pride that makes me so enthusiastic about their line. Leslie wants her pieces “to be both modern and nostalgic” and lovely as well. Has she succeeded? Well, I’m not the only one who would answer in the affirmative. It’s no accident that her dresses are featured in many London boutiques. Her team of designers and co-workers were recruited at the playground: she has built her business, now in its fourth year, with women like herself who have mixed raising children with pursuing a fashion career. As a mom, I admire Lesley and her team both for who they are and what they have accomplished.

 

Mar Y Sol

Michael Stars Scarves

What ties together an outfit better than a scarf? Not much! Scarves can be so much fun; they can work as an accent or be the centerpiece of an outfit. And they are one of the few fashion accessories that can be worn many different ways. Michael Stars Scarves are a winner for me, I like the way they can be easily dressed up or down and are so versatile that can be worn with many different outfits from jeans to work wear to evening. Cool weather, I’m ready for you!

Mudlark

Their soap is so pure you could eat it?  That’s their claim.  And without question Mudlark is passionate about developing carcinogen free products that minimally affect the environment.  But I’ve never actually breakfasted, lunched or dined on their soap.  It’s not that appealing.  It does, though, look good enough to eat!

            All their products warrant close inspection.  Bath products with lovely scents.  Purse notebooks and list pads that make writing “to do” lists a pleasurable experience.  And more.  When I’m searching for a treat for myself or the perfect girlfriend gift, Mudlark always is on my “check it out” list.

Bamboo! Organic cotton! Recycled polyester spandex and polyester organic cotton! Pure Karma intends to transform the fashion eco-landscape with ingenious and stylish use of these sustainable fabrics. When I’m wardrobe hunting and in an ecological mood, Pure Karma is my first stop. It makes me feel good to give Mother Earth a break while also being comfortable and full of stylish zip as well!

It took a trip to Paris for me to discover the fabulous Brazilian designer, Sobral. My then 14 year old son and I had been invited to visit a French family whose son we had hosted the previous Spring. Why not stop in Paris for a few days first? And rent an apartment rather than stay in a hotel? Why couldn’t we manage? After all, he had done well in his first year French and should it not be adequate, surely my warm smile would enlist a platoon of gallant Frenchmen to rush to our rescue. Let me tell you, sometimes, but not always, a good platoon of gallant Frenchmen is hard to find! Somehow we managed. Soon we were marveling at the wonders of Paris. And then, only a few blocks from our apartment, I discovered a small shop full of jewelry and accessories from the Brazilian designer, Sorbal. His mix of colors and shapes was a rainbow to the eyes. His hip resin bracelets and necklaces enchanted me ( and yes, I came home to the “States” with a ring, a bracelet, a pair of earrings and a key chain of hearts which I still use to this day). Sobral’s work has received tremendous acclaim. In 2004, 2005 and 2006 he won prestigious awards for his art jewelry. And Karl Lagerfeld adorned his models with Sobral Jewelry for his Spring 2008 Runway Show.

I love wearing jeans especially when they’re tasteful, vibrant, inviting and above all comfortable. That requires a perfect fit, both before and (of course) after washing. Jeans meeting all these requirements aren’t easy to find. This is why I was so happy to discover SOLD Design Lab. Their jeans look so good it’s hard to believe how attractive they are. And the fit rates a wow! More than any company I know SOLD Design Lab employs sophisticated production techniques and fashion ingenuity to create the jeans of my dreams. The company entered the premium denim world in Fall 2010. When you try on a pair you’ll see why I like them so much.

What do Oprah, People Magazine, the Italian fashion world and FlairWalk have in common? All are big fans of Tarina Tarantino. And for a very good reason. Accessories often can transform a lovely garment into one that uniquely enhances a woman’s distinctive style. Some accessories have suffered from fashion fatigue. Tarina Tarantino to the rescue! Sparkle that glows, colors that amaze, designs that attract attention---it’s no wonder that their products are featured at fashion centers around the world. Tarina Tarantino and Alfonso Campos launched their operation from a one bedroom West Hollywood apartment in 1995. That small space has long been abandoned. But their entire line still is hand made in Los Angeles.

Trina Turk. That’s a name so many women think of when they want clothes that are casual yet sophisticated, clothes that breathe optimism and a contemporary spirit, clothes widely known for their pants fit and oh-so-lovely signature prints. Trina Turk is one of my own all time favorite lines. The style and color are always refreshing and fun, the fit is fantastic and not just for beanpoles. Trina draws inspiration from both Los Angeles with its dizzy mix of cultures and architecture and the Southern Californian desert life style. Trina Turk is a gorgeous yet practical and relaxed collection. I own several pieces and can’t wait to acquire more! Trina Turk draws on her own collection of vintage jewelry to create the Trina Turk Jewelry Collection. A plating of .4 to .6 millimeters of real gold is used with a white metal or solid brass base. And, of course, the jewelry pieces look fantastic with Trina Turk clothes! The white large ring is one of my favorites for summer!

What a background! Working in Paris as an associate designer on collections, working for WWD in New York, being a shoe designer for Mario Valentino, Design Director for Guess Knitwear, Creative Director for Betsey Johnson…..the list goes on and on. In 2002, Yana Baraschi decided to go out on her own and created her first collection in her bedroom and the rest is history. Does Hollywood like her designs? Of course! Ask Heidi Klum, Halle Berry and Sienna Miller.