Thursday, May 28, 2009

CFDA Awards



For the first time EVER the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) have added a Popular Vote Award. This gives us (you & I) the opportunity to be a part of the awards by voting for our favorite designers.

I think this is such a cool idea! I mean we all have our opinions on which designer we love and why so now we can actually feel like our opinion matters for something, as it should! LoL

So go and VOTE! http://www.wwd.com/popular-vote

I already went and put my vote in and let me tell you the choices are hard!! I almost felt bad having to choose ONE designer :o(
But then I found out that you can vote once every 24 hours! YAY! :o)

Annnnnnd... the best part of all this is that every time you vote you get entered to win a trip to see the show in September during fashion week!!!

It's a win/win situation ;o)

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Black Models



Since forever now there has always been a handful of black models that grace designer runways and famed fashion magazine covers. Liya Kebede,Iman Abdulmajid, Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek and my new fav Chanel Iman and of course Tyra Banks are all well known. These women are known because there is a lack of minority models in fashion around the world. Why?

Why can't Black, Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian and Hispanic models be as regular as any Caucasian model seen on a magazine or runway! It is almost unspoken, as if the problem doesn't exist. When Vogue put out their all black Italian issue I was outraged! ONE ALL BLACK issue... that's a shame that having black models appear throughout a Vogue magazine is such a rarity that having an all black issue caused the magazine to sell out within minutes! [The Italian Vogue editor Franca Sozzani and photographer Steven Meisel spoke about the project; Sozzani was inspired by Barack Obama's campaign and the lack of diversity on the runways, while Meisel has been frustrated by the industry's rejection of black models for quite some time.] http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/06/uveiled_italian_vogues_allblac_1.html

I feel that you, as a society, and I have a certain comfort in seeing white models on the magazines we read and billboards we see. Its "normal" so it's comfortable, and when we see anything other than a white model, it catches our attention either negatively or positively. Now how are we going to change this? With ONE issue of Vogue that was not even intended for the United States? I don't think so, and as Iman stated on NY mag ( http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/05/iman_doesnt_want_black_models.html )...in 2007 black models were "nonexistent" and the fashion and beauty industries are out of touch. The fashion industry need to to get with it, black is beautiful and so is Asian, Hispanic, White and purple, AND green!!!

Torn Leggings


Cool

I have noticed a trend on the rise which is torn leggings, and I don't know about you but I am torn on whether I like them or not!

Its funny because I have a design I sketched in which I had my croqui (fashion figure) wearing torn legging and I thought to myself that could totally work with a funky dress or under some shorts. And walking the streets of SoHo last month I saw a girl wearing black ripped stockings under a tapered black dress with a gold chained belt and cool flats and it looked awesome! And thats when I began leaning on the LIKE (thumbs up) side.

Not to long ago I saw pictures of the 6126 brand torn leggings and I am suddenly not liking them so much anymore. For those who don't know 6126 (Marilyn Monroe's birth date) is Lindsay Lohans leggings line that is sold in Nordstroms. Their torn legging looks so cookie cutter that it hurts my feelings! LOL I don't think rips or tears should look uniform or stencil like and that's exactly what I have been seeing lately.

So in the end should you go spend buuukuu bucks on neatly cut out leggings or take it into your own hands and indulge in some DIY slash-time leggings?
You tell me.

Not so cool

Saturday, May 23, 2009

DC shoes LIFE Collection



DC shoes is a well known skateboarding brand, who has been around since 1993 but really got it's pick up in 2003 when they signed over to Quicksilver. DC shoes began to offer exciting colors and designs for skaters and non-skaters alike.

Now DC has ventured into a lifestyle brand, that offers a more casual shoe opposed to their normal skate shoes. Featured here are two shoes from their "High Life on the Rivera" collection and I am loving it. Although it does seem to mimic another well known brand creative recreation, they are holding up to keeping a simple colorway and casual look with this collection. Some earlier lifestyle collections were mimicking supra with sky scraping hi-tops and crazy colors/patterns! I wasn't feeling it one bit. So I think this turn around is a good look and we'll shall see if they can keep it fresh for upcoming seasons.
To see more visit: http://store.dcshoes.com

Friday, May 22, 2009

Trends: For the Fellas


Hey guys need to be on point too... so I write this for you!
What I have been noticing on the runways and on the streets are the plaid button-ups that look oh-so-cute and very stylish when done right.
Some designers who have done it right are Rogues Gallery, Polo: Ralph Lauren, and the Japanese label Lounge Lizard. The shirt can be worn alone with fitted denim, or under a cardigan which always looks very GQ, you can also try it with a blazer or with a denim jacket, bringing your inner Kanye West out!

This bring me to my next trend which is also denim... yes I know guys wear their denims damn near everyday but this season designers are showing you how to wear it other than on your butt! Denim jacket, denim vest, denim button-up shirt (hot) they even have some crazy cool denim fedoras that could literally top any outfit.

Trends : Picnic table = Gingham & Denim is back



So the horrid picnic table print actually has a name! HA! Gingham is being seen in new spring and resort collections from well know designers. The top seen here was found on fredflare.com

I was never really a fan of the textile pattern, however the designers are doing it right this season! Micheal Kors, Phillip Lim 3.1, and Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons.

Another wonderful trend that I love more than anything is denim! I love denim and I love how this season the designers are showing us how its done. They are making something seen as "urban" and bringing to a more high-end caliber, and that is the way to do it. Some of my favs are Rag & Bone, Louis Vuitton and Alexander Wang.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Going Green or Going for the Green ?


As America plays catch up to other countries, I have noticed that we are finally into this global warming fix up. So going green has been a big deal in every industry and that of course means fashion too.

Fashion of course need to be trendy and on to the next big thing so ultimately going green was next in line. I am one to recycle and do what I can to help the earth because I think it is beautiful and that as humans we should take care of what was given to us. So when I first began to hear, a couple years ago, about clothing lines going green and making an effort to use organic, and Eco-friendly materials I was "naturally" excited. Now in 2009 as i flip through magazines, or shop in trendy stores, all I see is that everyone is now "Eco-friendly", "going green!"

Congratulations if you truly want to do something special to help the earth but who are you fooling when you are just doing what is trendy so you can bring in the money! I know business is business, but if you sell clothes that doesn't help Pandas, its okay people will still buy it!

Now on the other hand I do like a lot of the organic and Eco-friendly ideas that promote healthy living or does something productive such as Zoyas non-toxic nail polish which reduces many of the harmful chemicals, and the movie Earth (I loved) which planted a tree in your honor if you purchased a ticket!

In the end it's a positive movement that I can not say anything really bad on, however there are companies that go green and do it from the heart and others that get the green and do it for the money.

Native Reason

na*tive
adjective
1.) Belonging to or associated with one by birth
2.) Natural; uneffected

rea*son
noun
1.)A basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc.

Native Reason
Hi my name is Sabrielle Lezeau, I'm am not here to talk about myself. I want to share things that I am passionate about and that I think are blog worthy. All my topics have a native reason and that is to speak on behalf of my generation, my people, on different topics. I am a fashion design major so I do plan on delivering fashion at large and underdogs, news, street culture, music, and of course my finest opinion on each topic.
I hope you enjoy what I bring to the table and I would love feedback from all of you because in the end it is our Native Reason.