Wholesale Fashion Jewelry & Accessories Blog

ACCESSORIES ARE ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN GLORY IN PARIS! As designers paraded their newest wares for Spring 2010, it became strongly apparent that accessories are giving much of the spice and thrill to outfits this year, adding design interest, often wild color, and no small amount of unexpected visual intrigue.

Little handbags swinging from chain; shoes that often reach up to the calf, with straps and embellishment gone crazy; handbags of almost every type; bracelets galore; and statement necklaces that are often shocking and elaborate: these were just some of the accessory fantasia visited again and again on Paris runways. 

Shine is also a major design feature in many of the accessory pieces this year. From VBH, for example, a classy medium sized grey blue handbag gave an updated Grace Kelly look to everything it was shown with. 

Big silver bracelets were likewise brash and demanded attention. Several cuffs together on one arm was not unusual.  Stripes and geometrics in strong colors graced many shoes, like bright blue and vivid pink on black. Or brown, blue, yellow and tan stripes on a super-high heeled shoe and matching clutch handbag.  

                                               Vibrant Season

PARIS IS HOT ON ENERGY THIS SEASON, expressing it most obviously in the color orange, which was splashed all over accessories.  In some instances, orange was pure and stood alone, as in a pair of modernistic swirly circle earrings in bright coral orange.  In other cases, orange was tempered by incorporation into prints used on handbags and shoes. 

Orange is also important in bracelets and necklaces, very often as coral beads or enameling.  Longchamp is offering a paint-splashed print handbag with spicy patches of orange which is a good example of the direction.  Eddie Borgo has designed a very Egyptian-looking wide choker with orange gemstones.

HIGH ENERGY IMAGES UNDERWRITE A MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE COMING IN FOR SPRING.  ADD SOME TO YOUR COLLECTIONS!

• Howlite earrings in dyed coral.

• Contemporary glass crystal fashion pendant.  Exquisite!

Crystals embellish almost everything in design collections this season, but in a delicate way. Look at all the charming little gossamer fashions with crystals sprinkled here and there across the bodice.  Or pay attention to a particularly feminine necklace of delicate beading and crystals by Swarovski. The gentle designs we’re talking about are in direct contrast to the often huge, chunky statement necklaces also making waves in the City of Light.

                                         Who You Calling A Sissy?

Tough is a look, a design, and attitude, and it is all the rage in Paris now.  Incorporating bits and pieces of Biker, Gothic, even Bondage, Tough nevertheless stands alone in its final presentation.  Think Dark colors. Studs.  Rough-rider lines. Chunky statements.  Imagine very big silver chain necklaces that look like heavy pieces of hardware. Or, leather cuffs that appear unfinished, with strips and slithers of leather hanging off. 

Heavy construction images run rampant this year. Keys are also a hot theme, often in strong abundance dangling down from a jeans fob, like lesbians in Greenwich Village might wear. Tiffany has a great collection of key pendants you can choose from, if your budget is super-generous.

And don’t forget the spiky stuff!  Necklaces with spikes hanging off make all of this jewelry good for Halloween!  Bracelets caught up with spikes. Spiky earrings, very hard,    gruesome and dangerous. Looking for a murder weapon, anyone?

                                     Cascading Look

LONG DROP EARRINGS made a forceful fashion statement in several top fashion cities this season, especially when made up of dark in-line two-dimensional graduated discs touching down below the shoulder.  Very swingy, attention-getting.  Crystals were big here, too, as elsewhere in the fashion and accessory wardrobe.  Vintage rhinestones also made their way onto the runways, adding additional sparkle and shine, even to denim outfits. 

. 

Long skinny scarves are the rage, everywhere, with everything!  For winter, they tend to be wool, solid color, dark.  For spring, they pick up on designer Karl Lagerfeld’s Country Girl look, with pretty posie prints splashed all over long, very thin scarves that wrap around the neck several times before cascading down to the waist, hips, or even knees.  Colors are bright.  Happy. 

For cooler climes, the look is cozier, with scarves wrapped high around the neck, numerous times. Little square scarves are also getting a lot of attention.  These are both solid and printed, and are not unlike the American West cowboy neckerchiefs that come in and out of fashion periodically.  In both scarf scenarios, pay attention to graphic prints that are very artsy and sophisticated.

SCARVES ARE MAKING POTENT FASHION STATEMENTS NOW…AND THROUGH SPRING.  HERE ARE SOME TO CONSIDER:

• Pashmina scarves in vibrant colors.  Spectacular!

• Fashion scarves with floral pattern.  Trendy and stunning!

Weeks and weeks of runway shows have industry insiders starting to talk about “fashion fatigue,” as one top publication put it.  With this incredible rush of design coming from all sides, it is hard not to find a lot that is new, exciting, and sure to sell, but at the same time, when does it stop?  When do we get to come up for air?  That may still be a long way away…

                                           ENTER PARIS

…where fashion is as insane as it is brilliant.  News is rampant.  Styles you may never have imagined much less seen are here in super-size. Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton has outfitted his models with huge Afro-style wigs, so big they extend beyond the shoulder width.  The clothing is equally off-the-wall:  Little girl outfits.  Stripes going every which way.  Hair bows.  Rabbit tails the size of fox tails hanging down from waist bands.  Shiny little handbags worn on straps around the neck.  Big bracelets.  Across the chest big bags with more of those fuzzy fox-like tails hanging down to the floor. 

Pinks and greens and baby blues were important colors, along with neutrals of all sorts. White-washed yellows and blues and tans.  Layered looks: blouses over slacks with jackets tied around the waist.  Wide leg shorty-shorts.  Flouncy hemmed mini-minis.               

        –But nothing quite compared with the shoes. Big green fabric boots with white hairy base.   Shoes that looked like funny-looking children’s bedroom slippers.  If you ever saw anyone in any of this actually walking on the street, well…!

                                           LITTLE GIRLS

At Mui Mui, more children’s dresses for adults…and a certain Cinderella look in smocking, sheer nude panels, spangles and glitz.  There was a lot of emphasis on the bust line, plenty of mini skirts, plenty of long skirts.  Several models wore long pinned-on braids, German-style. 

But fear not.  A more grown-up look came from designers like Elie Saab and Kenzo, who put out long dresses in silky fabrics and colors that ran from neutral tans to soft hues and deep purples.  Draping was very important.  Embellishment, in the form of heavy, clustered sequins and crystals were set into small spaces (like a corner of the shoulder) for a very big impact.  Jewelry was wild.  Bracelets that looked like fuzzy circles of hair, some heavy, some thin.  Big bib necklaces in amber, very asymmetrical. 

   –Kenzo worked with deep-crotch trousers, very Arabic, wrapped headdresses, Moorish-style prints, white lace suits, and no small amount of Sahara-inspired images.

WHAT COULD BE BETTER FOR SPRING THAN A BOUQUET OF GAULIC-INSPIRED JEWELRY?  LOOK HERE:

• Fabulous crystal and black bead necklace set featuring artistically arranged faceted beads with crystals.

• High fashion black bracelet with glass overlay and Continental French sophistication.

                                       LAGERFELD’S PROVINCE

My oh My!  Karl Lagerfeld’s collection for Chanel was strictly based on country living albeit a wild and wooly kind of country.  Skirt lengths were eeeeks! Short! And, to make matters worse, full! Or, they were terribly, properly long.with an Asian sensibility.  Pattern was everywhere, especially florals, in the form of country-girl orange-red poppies, very 1950s retro.  That orange-red color kept poking its head up throughout the show, on shoes, on belts, on hair accessories. 

Some of the Chanel outfits were very airy, gossamer.  Others were heavier, sturdier, country-practical.  Hair accessories were smaller than usual, more wearable. Gone was the wildness of this accessory category. What we did see were silk hair flowers.  Little tiaras.  A feather or two.  Little head wraps.  Woven fabrics (especially for handbags) were hot.  So were crystals and lace. Handbags were of the clutch variety.  Or, handle envelope bags.  Or, summery bags with floral appendages that looked like someone carrying a basket full of posies in from the garden. 

For Chanel right now: Think rustic.   Think pretty.  Think down home farm life. 

                                               SPLISH-SPLASH

Running from Chanel to Alexander McQueen this season is like going from cute little girl to alien invasions.  The presentation made you wonder just what the McQueen Paris shows were trying to accomplish, anyway.  One outfit featured a model with hair tightly braided into satanic horns, and worn with a black and green surreal printed short skirted dress with one short sleeve and one long.  Another dress, again with horned model, featured a skirt in crass Halloween orange and black that swooped out just below the waist to create a wide, very short bottomless bubble.  Move a tiny bit in that dress and it would become decadent.

And then there was the shimmery fabric outfit, shoes, leggings, little dress, all of a single sculpture, flashing and shining, looking like miniature bubble wrap.  The shoes, which just flowed out of the skin-tight leggings, were “scary armadillo shoes,” as one publication said.

   –This from the one-time boy wonder of the Parisian fashion world?  Please…

                                                 FABRIC FRENZY

Paris wasn’t without fabric interest.  Some was fluffy and flowing. A lot featured see through pieces of transparent fabric.  A big, pale yellow-green dress from Valentino looked like strips of big lightweight fabric wrapped around the model’s body several times, ending in a short hemline.  Another Valentino special was done in very pale brown-tan encrusted with lacy embellishment down the front and over the short sleeves.  See-through was scary. 

Perhaps paying up for the see-through whimsy, Valentino also paraded a model in diaphanous grey tan long dress with a perimeter (that’s what we said!) of ruffles all around, pushing up to the chin, around the sides, and down across the bottom. Covered up, top-to-bottom!

You could probably come up with several trend stories at Valentino, if you tried hard enough.  Ruffles.  No-waist.  Neutrals. Lace. Whatever.  You really can’t go wrong with Valentino, no matter what the season.

NEUTRALS HIT A HIGH NOTE IN PARIS THIS YEAR, ALONG WITH PLENTY OF EARTH-GREEN SHADES FOR ECO-FAB COLOR ZING.  GET WITH IT WITH THESE WELL-PRICED FRENCH DELIGHTS:

• Fashion jewelry in country tones.  Bold necklace and earrings set in shades of green and amber with large-bronze plated disc pendant.

• Beautiful multicolored beading brings the essence of flower power to any outfit!

                                     THINGS TO NOTE OVERALL: 

Strips of leather and cording hanging down from shorts and skirts, like the fabric and/or paper strips worn by Orthdox Jewish Hasidim.  Handbags with shoulder straps like luggage straps.  Totally insane shoes, both high and low, all very big, very peculiar-looking.  Hair bows. Little handbags on wrist-strap chains.  Dark bracelets. Shiny silver jewelry.  Wide head bands, great for tennis.  Straps everywhere.  On shoes.  On bags.  Running up the leg and over boots. Leather strap bracelets.  Sort of Gothic!  Sort of tiresome, too!

THE SECOND HALF Pantone Color Chart for Spring offers a number of rich, unusual neutrals, and also follows through with a number of strong vibrant colors.  An interesting point with these tones is how well they work with the colors listed in Pantone’s Men’s Fashion Chart for spring.  In fact, several of the colors are duplicated exactly! For example, Amparo Blue, Turquoise, and Dried Herb come in at Third, Seventh, and Tenth place on the Men’s Chart, indicating their color strength for both sexes and suggesting that they will be on the listing for some time. 

Here are the remaining five top color contenders for spring fashion and accessories:

1. TUSCANY.   This is a lovely light brown, with definite gray undertones. Eiseman calls it a strong color for consumers’ wardrobes, and refers to the brown tones that have become so much more popular in the last few seasons.  Be careful not to think of this as a full brown, however.  It is more a variant of brown, a light soft version for spring.

1. AMPARO BLUE.  It is rare to get this far along in a fashion color chart before we reach a real blue!  But here it is, a gorgeous blue with rich purple undertones.  It is a warm blue, with a great deal of appeal, and will probably move up the chart rapidly in the next few seasons. Designer Adrienne Vittadini chose this as one of her colors, saying her inspiration was “the crystal blue waters of Capri.”  Designer Tommy Hilfiger is also working with Amparo Blue, and says his inspiration was the “California coastline.”

THE MOST POPULAR COLOR THERE IS, YEAR AFTER YEAR, BLUE SHOWS UP ON OUR SPECIALIZED FASHION CHART WITH REAL VIBRANCY AND CHARM.  HERE, IT SHARES ITS MAGIC WITH SOME TERRIFIC PIECES:

• Superb shell inlay earrings in blue, green, and red.

• Multicolor crystal earrings in deep blues and reds.

1. PINK CHAMPAGNE:  Just as its name suggests, this is very delicate, airy, light-as-a feather color.  It relates well to textures, Eiseman says, and can work especially well in the new, filmy, romantic spring dresses, skirts, and scarves.  It has little undertones of pink that spark up its appearance, giving it more body.  This is a color that is unusually versatile.  It has a lot of personality despite its intense gossamer impression.

1. DRIED HERB:  A very sophisticated neutral version of green, Eiseman thinks this color will be accepted even by “people who hesitate to purchase the color green, itself.” Combining it with Violet or Aurora “would urge consumers to buy it even more,” she says. Designer Carmen Marc Valvo uses a version of Dried Herb which he calls “Warm Khaki” as his signature color.  He juxtaposes it with metallic gold for a really dynamic look.

1. EUCALYPTUS: A practical, neutral gray, this color combines beautifully with   

      any of the colors in the rest of the chart.  It goes especially well with the more     

      vibrant colors in the chart, and works wonders as a balancing color.  Eiseman  

      predicts that many consumers will look for accessories in this color.

FINDING A NEUTRAL COLOR THAT WILL STILL EXCITE ISN’T EASY, BUT THIS SEASON’S CHART HAS SEVERAL.  HERE ARE SOME NEUTRAL JEWELRY PIECES THAT ARE EQUALLY EASY TO COORDINATE WITH A WARDROBE:

• Beige ceramic bracelet.

• Fossil bead high fashion necklace.  A wonderful neutral that can accessorize almost anything!

“CONSUMERS CRAVE COLOR FOR SPRING,” declares Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, and “designers are giving it to them by choosing optimism for the season.” 

The top colors on the seasonal chart chosen by New York designers in the Pantone Fashion Color Report break into two main divisions:  The first seven, which are vibrant and energetic, and the last three, which are more neutral.  Overall, it is an exciting chart!  

While the colors represent a definite optimism, it is still somewhat tempered by what Eiseman says is “the elephant still in the room – the recession.”  Consumers are still relatively cautious about their purchases.  They are mainly looking to spice up their wardrobes with a few carefully selected pieces, such as accessories, which are fresh and new and which will enliven their overall wardrobes.  

The top colors for spring are nevertheless very exciting…and start off with a real surprise.  In Number One spot is:

                                               VIOLET

Can you believe it?  Well, purple has been making its way through the color charts for a number of seasons, and it has now culminated in first place positioning with VIOLET.  Still, it is an unexpected color choice — not a more conventional color like pale blue or dusty green or even softened red.  No, none of them!  It is VIOLET.  Off-beat, but no less lovely. 

Here, then, is the chart:

1. 1.      VIOLET:  The violet that is making big news in fashion circles now has a touch of red in it and “provides a bit more excitement to what we’d typically think of as a cooler color,” says Eiseman.  “A little bit of warmth to a cool color intrigues the consumer’s eye.”

2.  AURORA:  This is a bright yellow with a hint of green.  According to Eiseman, its popularity has been spurred on by designers using the color in accessories and evening gowns.  It has also been used in numerous variations in red carpet events. Designers like Adam Lippes have worked in an exciting way with pop colors, including Aurora.

YELLOW IS HAPPY, AND BRINGS A SMILE TO ALMOST EVERYONE’S FACE.  CHOOSE IT JUST BECAUSE IT IS SO POSITIVE!  HERE ARE SOME GREAT PIECES IN YELLOW:

• Amber crystal drop earrings.

• Wholesale Murano style jewelry in amber.

1. 3.      TURQUOISE:  This is a color that has been bobbing up and down on the color charts for quite a while now, especially for accessories!  Designer Peter Som sees      

it as expressing “the need for a happy mood – a lifting color that offers a bit of escapism.”  Eiseman thinks this color is strong because it is a version of blue that is associated with tropical, ocean-filled vacations,   “It makes people think of someplace exotic,” she says.

1. FUSION CORAL: A soft, pastel orange, this gentle color is an interesting

combination of a strong, energized orange and a pale, almost pink-y neutral.  It can simultaneously give a bolt of excitement to a palette, while blending inconspicuously with a wide range of other colors. “It is a very popular color with cosmetic people,” Eiseman says. “It is flattering to most skin tones.”

1. TOMATO PUREE:  This is a real red with blue undertones.  Senior vice

president and fashion director Ken Downing of Neiman Marcus says, “Red is the

message from the runway.”  He sees “bright lipstick to deep Bordeaux as filling the

consumer’s passion for a super-saturated season.”  Many designers are also

showing this red in their collections!

YOU CAN ADD SOME EXCITING – IF NOT THRILLING – RED TO YOUR COLOR CHOICES WITH THESE TERRIFIC JEWELRY PIECES:

• Sculptured magnolia and crystal necklace in red and rose and silver plate.

• 3-strand crystal and glass layered necklace set in vibrant red.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

FOR ANYBODY INTO FORECASTING what’s on the way in the clothing and accessories fashion industry, getting a leg up on where textile design is headed is an absolute essential.  This is one of the beginning points on what is coming, what the mood of fashion will be, what hot colors are uptrending.  It is a fortune-telling tool not to be missed!

A preview of the Milano Unica that runs September 8 to 11 shows classic Italian craftsmanship with interesting updates such as animal prints under metallic glaze and wool tulles dyed in deep contrasting shades.  There is a strong demand for cost-effective materials, but the Show’s president, Pier Luigi Loro Piana says, nevertheless, “Italy will never be cheap.” 

HE TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER of fabulous innovations coming out of Italian mills, including metalized glass used as plating and macramé coated in polyurethane. “Italy’s value is in quality, consistency and creativity,” the president asserted.

                   —Some of the things this tells us:  Look for metallic finishes to continue into 2010, many doubling up with rich patterns, such as animal prints. Look, too, for a new interest in deep colors and contrasting color plays.  Keep your eye out for innovation, like metalized glass.

YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOUR CUSTOMERS TO SOME OF THE EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS AND FASHION MOODS ON THE WAY WITH THESE GREAT PRODUCTS:

• Metallic evening clutches in ruched design.

• Richly patterned faux croc design in wholesale evening bag.  Choice of beautiful, deep colors.

                                     Premiere Vision Paris

More from the Textile Front:  Premiere Vision Fall 2010 runs from September 15 to the 18 in Paris.  What can you expect to see here?  According to PV’s fashion director, Pascaline Wilhelm, expect a “move away from flash” and a massive “casualization of the entire fashion industry.”

   —Wow!  Did you get that?

Look for plenty of natural inspirations, from rippled water to the sheen of bronze.  Sabine Le Chatelier, the show’s associate fashion director, credits the changes taking place here to a world of immense complications.  Consequently, she says, “Clarity of design is so beautiful right now.”

OVERALL, THE EXPOSITIONS can be expected to display something for almost every taste.  Classic fabrications are strong, along with plenty of artsy offerings. Dark browns, blacks, and purples, many balanced by lighter whites and tans, are in profusion.

Also on the color wheel, red and wine colors come up strong along with saturated acid tones in strong graphic patterns. Black and white geometrics and plaids are holding over from this season. So are plenty of natural colors, like tans and sand, along with natural materials, like silks, cottons, cashmeres, and wool. 

   –Expected to rack up high scores on the innovation scale: blended natural and synthetic fabrics combining to produce textures with strong “touch” as well as sight appeal.

Interesting?  Let’s put some of this into perspective, too:  Things are going casual.  Big Time!  There is a strong move away from formal looks and extravagant designs.  Emphasis is on sensuality.  Things that feel and look good.  Softness.  Elegant touch appeal.  Colors run from naturals (hey!  Macramé is back!) to dark, intense tones.  Strong graphics are hot.  Creative material expressions rate highest points of all!

AGAIN AND AGAIN, THE TEXTILE PREVIEWS EXPRESS PLENTY OF EXCITING INNOVATIONS AND NEW LOOKS COMING INTO THE FIELD.  TRY SOME OF THESE PRODUCTS IN LINE WITH THE NEW DIRECTION:

• Fabulous color gives a high fashion look to this multistrand unakite gemstone necklace with glass, wood, and pearlized beads.

• Texas star hematite necklace – 15 inches long. Unisex design!

The major fashion show exposition spotlight moved on to London last week, where brilliant color and prints – graphics, plaids, stripes and florals, among others – underwrote a strong seasonal Brit look and feel.  

Well, isn’t London fashion always fun, filled with plenty of good, sensible (you might even say royal-looking) clothing and accessories along side of some downright silly-looking designs that only good Old England could produce? 

   –Hey, this is the land where purple hair was born, and where the Queen not infrequently dons a hat that remarkably resembles Lewis Carroll’s famed Mad Hatter.  Hello, England!  We’re glad to be here!

Matthew Williamson broke away from the more economic tone of New York’s Fashion Week, showing some very special cocktail dresses with a 1920s élan.  Giant sequins embellished designs, along with plenty of sparkles and marabou. 

Cutouts echoed the hot trend from across the ocean.  The designer also showed shorty lime green fabric boots that looked a lot like rain gear slipped over shoes and tied at the ankle in a bow. They were new looking!

                                        Jewelry Trend on the Rise

Williamson also furthered a trend seen in New York and, surprisingly, little talked about in the Industry press.  Wait a couple of months and you’ll see it all over!  Anyway, the look involved dark jewelry.  We’re talking about dark beads, dark metal, dark plastics…used for necklaces, you name it.  Williamson featured a very good looking dark blue bracelet (not quite a cuff) matching an interesting print dress. 

YOU CAN GET A HEAD START ON THIS IMPORTANT NEW TREND WITH THESE HANDSOME JEWELRY PRODUCTS:

• Chunky hematite necklace.  Dark and sophisticated.

• Twisted blackstone semi-precious choker.

Belts were especially strong London fare.  Many were in leather, some skinny strips pulled through a small buckle and then tied over.  Others resembled luggage shoulder straps.  Little clutches were also important, mostly in medium brown and black. A Safari look with somewhat dressy ruched tan dress under a leather belted trench coat was different.  Hemlines were frequently pulled up, caught up, hemmed up to mini length, so that you felt the dress needed to be pulled down to be on properly. 

Lime green came through as a hot color for Spring, along with lots of pale, watery blue.  Yellow was also big here.  Bright florals with a 1950s feeling included purple and green posies as in one dress from Erdem. 

Paul Smith presented an interesting boyswear outfit (pay attention to that storyline…

it’s important) in pale pink with orange vest and fedora.  A tan helmet hat was pulled down over the ears of a model at Aquascutum.  His model was also outfitted with a two-tone tan scarf and long yellow print dress under a trench coat.  Little puffy dress skirts came from Loella, while Issa showed a bright transparent long skirt over panties and matched to a little hair topknot accessory.  Hmmm.

BOYSWEAR IS ANOTHER HOT DESIGN TREND PICKING UP STEAM.  TRY THESE PRODUCTS FOR SOME EARLY MERCHANDISING POWER:

• Knit ladies fedora in great colors.

• Fashion scarves in rich patterns and hues. 

TOKYO FASHION WEEK PREVIEW:  WILD COLOR, HAIR BOBS, AND MASKS!

We really can’t afford to miss some early fashion signals coming out of Tokyo, where the curtain won’t officially rise on Fashion Week until mid-October.  But already designers are trying to jump the gun with real runway action.  Susan Kuwahara’s colors sizzled across the fashion stage, with strong Tibetan hues predominating.  Here was a purple loose-fitting top with orange and purple ruffled pants over yellow socks.  Yes, it was strange!

Support Surface took a 1980s carefully tailored look with a handsome bright yellow coat.  The designs here were clean and close to the body without actually being fitted.  Ne-Net’s Kazuaki Takashima centered on several different themes, including Germanic folkwear and nautical motifs.  He gave added excitement to his models with westernized hair bobs and fascinating masks, with a global intrigue.

Color waves to note: Super brights – plus — soft lilac. Pale gray, purple, orange, and tan.

Also look at: Belts and cummerbunds, and big dark sunglasses with white frames.  Didn’t we see these elsewhere in the last few weeks, too?  Umhm!

SPRING 2010 SEEMS TO BE rushing in, with all the fanfare and excitement surrounding the New York Fashion Week’s expositions.  There were so many stories, so many different fashion statements, it was hard to ferret out individual trends and directives. But one thing was sure:  This was an assertive Spring showing, with major design expressions enlivening the runways and giving a boost to the entire fashion industry.

Caroline Herrera offered a lovely horizontally striped suit, very au naturel, with satiny grey and shimmery gold playing against each other.  A big bow graced the suits neckline, in a somewhat Asian effect.  The model carried a same-colored little clutch bag. 

THE CHARM OF A LITTLE CLUTCH BAG IS UNBEATABLE.  HERE ARE SOME TO CONSIDER:

• Leatherette evening clutch bag in soft lambskin.  Shiny silver or washed gold.  Use it anytime!

• Evening clutch bag in faux patent leather goes from office to dinner with ease!  Choice of colors.

Donna Karan worked with lots of nature colors and moody neutrals, lots of grays and whites, and gossamer fabrics that clung to the body while showing it off.  Not everything worked, however, despite the thunderous applause from fashion editors.  Her skinny washed linen dress exemplified the designer’s lived-in move, and frankly looked just that.  Maybe Salvation Army lived-in. 

   –Karan likes jewelry and used it well.  A big white plastic chain bracelet looked stunning with a long white evening dress.  A little choker filled in a bare neckline. 

                                                     Disc Choker

COLOR POPPED AT Zac Posen, where models walked down the runway showing off plenty of leg and lots of hues and prints.  One long dress in soft rose featured a bejeweled floral print top to bottom.  A short little swing-y dress in two-tone blue was sweet, if a bit saccharin.  A large blue disc choker gave it pizzazz.

J. Mendel is a designer who likes shine, plenty of structured and well-cut satin gowns and dresses in soft ivory, yellow and rose.  With them he paired cute little clutch bags and large statement necklaces, like one flashy, medium length necklace of shiny silver disc clusters. Very dramatic. 

There were lots of bows from Tuleh at the neckline and at the waist of very sweet dresses and shorts. A handsome minimalist look from Rachel Roy featured a wrap around grey skirt with long sleeved grey knit top.  Simple, stunning. 

BIG GLASSES HIT THE RUNWAYS again, this time from Rebecca Taylor. They were more than big, actually.  They were super black, as well.  Carmen Marc Valvo used Grecian draping, satiny fabrics, and tight, body skimming lines to emphasize a rich, feminine evening dress done in very light golden tan.  He accessorized it with a surprise:  A single gold bangle bracelet. Classic.

                                                   Two-Tone Blue

BLUE WAS A DOMINANT statement at Thakoon – two-tone blue, to be exact – revving up a little short-skirted dress with blue and pink apron.  More blue was seen at Zero + Maria Cornejo.  Here, the designers put forth a three piece outfit of unusual style:  A navy blue halter top, a medium blue print skirt with navy diagonal, and a long, swingy over-jacket of navy blue. 

BLUE WAS THE FALL COLOR OF THE YEAR AT PANTONE; IT ALSO LED THE COLOR WHEEL IN NEW YORK FOR SPRING.  HERE, SOME BLUE ITEMS TO ENJOY:

• Gorgeous blue turquoise disk pendant.  Trendy.

• Lapis heart pendant in bright blue with darker spotting.  Must see!

Wrapping up the expositions were a number of clothing/accessory designs worthy of noting: 

    — From Vivienne Tam, a long blue diaphanous gown with brown macramé belt. 

    — From Toni Maticevski, a skirt and tank top combination with wild frou-frou floral decoration, accessorized with below-the-waist-length skinny black chains.

    –From Victoria Bartlett, more diaphanous material, this in a tan dress with spaghetti straps, accessorized by a squared-off white and orange bangle bunch.

    –From Rosa Cha, a two piece polka dot bathing suit, shown with a little yellow clutch; a very, very big and wide white and gold bracelet; and an orange terrycloth head wrap.

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK kicked off with all the sound and fury of a Dixieland band funeral.  There was music playing, models sashaying, designs on display, and accessories front and center stage.  Everywhere in the Big Apple, things were happening, fabulous new lines were introduced with theatrics and flair as designers bowed and accepted kudos by the score. 

   –A bad economy?  Things are bad in moneyland?  Well, Fed chief Bernanke said last week that the recession “is probably over,” and that’s how everybody was acting, albeit with fingers crossed behind their backs.

Sophisticated femininity is how one industry publication described Jason Wu’s collection for Spring 2010.   The clothes reflected a touch of the Forties, a bit of the impossible (a bubble look) and a palette of fresh, refined colors and combinations, like a grey mini skirt with a loose weave high-yellow sweater set. 

Wu worked with big, cats eye sunglasses, platform heels, interesting hair accessories and simple, disc earrings.  Tuxedo looks from Rag & Bone were svelte and severe.  An impressionistic floral print mini skirt from Leifsdottir featured a see-through black blouse and skinny black belt. 

                                            Color Fantastics

LUCA LUCA SHOWED exuberant colors like a wonderful teal evening dress with low cut bodice leaving plenty of room for a marvelous multi-strand beaded choker with big cut-out disc pendant.  Ideeen was hot and edgy with white slacks and top worn under a white man-tailored smoking jacket.   Shown with the look:  an African inspired choker with green chain and crystal drop offs.  Different.

On one runway we were impressed by a big, bulbous pave cuff bracelet.  Also charming was a flirty ruffle front chiffon white dress with a very soft, military-inspired over-jacket in khaki, this from Cynthia Steffe.  A ruffled blue taffeta short skirt from Ruffian, worn with a tailored white short jacket, was also a delight!  Both underlined a very youthful, lighthearted fashion look coming through from a number of top houses.

COLOR WAS A DOMINANT FACTOR in the designers showing so far. So were strong color combinations and mixes:  yellow with green, blue with pink.  Some of the major trends picked up include: 

     Skinny ribbon belts.  Flowers. Gossamer and see-through fabrics.  Architectural lines. Clean, 1980s graphics. Ruffles.  Medium to wide bracelets worn in multiples. Egyptian elements. Layering.  Little beads worn in multi-strands to effect a heavy, dramatic look.  Large sunglasses and the return of cats-eye designs, only now set on large frames. Oxidized copper. Gold, in profusion. Satiny metallic greys.

BE SURE TO MAKE COLOR A PROMINENT FACTOR IN YOUR SPRING COLLECTIONS!  — HEY, COLOR RIGHT NOW WORKS, TOO!  LOOK HERE:

• Semi precious horn pendant in rich lapis.

• Mixed gemstone bracelet with cube beads. Beautifully colored semi-precious stones!

                                        Pieces of Shine

Elie Tahari added her voice to the yellow push, with a bright full little dress pulled in at the waist with a ribbon belt.  He topped it all off with a somewhat floppy tan helmet hat featuring a wide tan satin hat band. That “strips of satin” look was repeated at a number of designer show places.  Prabal Gurung used strips of satin at the shoulder,

wrist, and waist of his black and grey suit.

SCARVES WERE ALSO HOT in New York.  Ports 1961 showed a heavily draped soft silk dress with very broad shoulders accessorized by a long accordion-like cut out scarf just hanging down the front. 

    –The long straight line hanging down was something to note.  It might be a necklace, a scarf, even hair, but the final impression was the same.

Shiny metallic handbags remained important this year, but now the bags tend to be smaller, in general.  Tommy Hilfiger, for example, showed a charming silvery bag that was just a small pouch on metallic handle straps.  The hip designer also went wild with bracelets:  wide, multiple bracelets, many striped, in a bevy of bright colors, worn on both arms.  Wow!

Many of the design offerings were unabashedly feminine and gentle.  Hair accessories played a big part in the finished look, although they were not the big, wild constructions of recent seasons, but more like little flowers and puffs of fabric.  Diane von Furstenberg also used very bright, striped, wide cuff bracelets, pairing them with pretty yellow print mini dresses.  Dark wood-like bangle bracelets, fairly wide, were worn in multiples at Vera Cava.  More multiple bracelet looks could be found at Michael Angel, this time shown with a broad shouldered, cap sleeved, very short floral print dress. 

YOU JUST CAN’T HAVE TOO MANY BRACELETS IN THIS EXCITING FASHION ENVIRONMENT!  HERE ARE SOME DYNAMITE LOOKS TO GO WITH NOW:

• Bracelet with hand-crafted appearance – matte gold plating and tribal design.

• Multicolored fabric-covered bangles – designer looks at remarkably modest price!

                                      Long Statement Necklaces

STATEMENT NECKLACES were important, running from chokers to medium length to very, very long.  As always, a 1920s flair came through in large brimmed white hats, long chiffon skirts and little black and white striped jacket-blouses, all in a Kentucky Derby mode.

   –This gracious Southern-lady look never leaves fashion completely, a major plus for the industry.  One more light and ladylike item at the runway shows:  White nail polish.  Clean!

Handbags were not as prominent as they have been recently; still, a number of models carried smart little clutch bags, slightly larger than a woman’s wallet.  Glitz was played down, but present.  Sequins were hot, even veering into such offbeat places as shoes.  Cording extended itself from necklaces to belts, where it took on a kind of macramé look.  

A fascinating accessory look was on display at Reen Acra, where a model wore two very different necklaces together.  One featured three large bejeweled pendants strung in-line, hanging down to below the waist from a long strand of large creamy pearls. The other, featured a strand of large white pearls with a very big circular bejeweled pendant about the size of a cantaloupe with little beads hanging softly down.  This necklace sat under the first one, was about 18-inches long, and frankly didn’t go with the longer one at all.  But, somehow or other, the look worked.

Sort of.

CALENDAR CHECK:  We’re just a few days away from Labor Day and then, coming right on top of it, Patriot Day dawns, commemorating the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center Buildings in New York City.  This is a great time to show your national love and loyalty, so why not bring out all your Americana for display?  For example:

• A red/white/blue stars and stripes tie. 

• Little American flags (they’re always fun to wave).

Accessories and apparel designers are recently expressing tri-color patriotism year ‘round, so why not join them? 

         A RUNDOWN ON HOT FASHION ACCESSORIES FOR AUTUMN

Trends:  They are always exciting, always sought out by designers, manufacturers, retalers and their customers.  They answer the big questions on every fashionista’s mind:  What is important now? What is big now? What is happening in the world of fashion?

Several years ago, a reader of a magazine I edited asked me if fringe was up-trending.  It wasn’t. He was unhappy about that, because he liked fringe and wanted to use it in his products but he didn’t want to go contrary to the “trends” of the moment.  A couple of years later, fringe roared in and quickly became a major factor in fashion, especially in accessories.  Then, just a few months later, it was again out.  Gone, in a lightning flash. 

That’s how it often is with trends, you’ve got to get in at the beginning, ride them hard and fast, and then, just as rapidly, get out.  Trends aren’t known to have a sustainable lifespan.

Of course, there are some trends that do last, and others that never seem to go out.  We call them classics.  But no self-respecting list of trends-of-the-moment would think of leaving them out.  Like hearts.  They’re a lot like Everlast batteries.  They just go on and on and on…

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A COMFORTABLE CACHE OF HEARTS ON HAND FOR WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARIES, BIRTHDAYS, VALENTINES DAY, AND MORE!  HERE ARE SOME YOU’LL LOVE!

• Elegant brooch with simulated heart-shaped stone crowned with silver plated lacy filigree.  Choice of colors.

• Dramatic heart-shaped pendant in turquoise epoxy surrounded by silver plating.

                           Fringe Leads List of Trendy Items

RIGHT NOW, HOWEVER, THERE ARE some important trends washing across the fashion field.  This is just a beginning list; we’ll continue it in the near future.  Here, then, are some hot subjects to pay close attention to as we enter the Autumn season:

Fringe. Ummhmm. It’s back! And it is hot! Look for it on handbags, especially as good looking hang-off pieces to match the bag itself. Fringe is also showing up strongly on scarves, on bracelets, and in pins. Much of the fringe is material, some is metal.  It is all very handsome! 

Glass beads.  They make everything look richer!  Particularly popular are different colored or sized glass beads braided together. A really gorgeous example of trendy glass beads comes from Roxanne Assoulin for Lee Angel in the form of blue and gold, and white and gold clustery-beaded bracelets.

Gentrified Glitz.  See it in shiny silver and gold handbags … and almost everything and anything else. These metallic-washed bags take on a remarkably expensive look, very Egyptian, very Tutankhamen-inspired!  A metallic goatskin bag from Chloe is a perfect example of this exquisite, gentrified glitz. It is quieter, less in your face.  But still with plenty of impact.

                                       Keys to Sales Action

Keys.  Mostly old fashioned, long keys.  Check out the new Tiffany & Co key collection and you’ll be right there!  You can wear them as pins, let them dangle from a charm bracelet, or put them on a chain around your neck along with a few other pendants.

Classic Charms:  We mentioned these before, but what we didn’t say is that while they are always IN, they sometimes spike up to become Super-Trends-of-the-Moment.  That’s the case right now with hearts and stars.  Stars are just about everywhere, as handbag appliqués, hanging off chains as pendants, etched into metal bracelets, you name it.  Hearts are just as pandemic.  Use either one and you’re automatically on top of the trend mobile!

YOU CAN ADD SOME TERRIFIC TREND ITEMS TO YOUR JEWELRY COLLECTION WITH THESE “RIGHT-NOW” PRODUCTS:    

• Heart and stars hematite bracelet.  Charming!
• Rhinestone earrings with graduated dangling stars.

                                                 Storytime

THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS ALWAYS awash with stories, overall subjects into which a whole category of products can fit.  Romantic stories are among the most common, and the most popular. All sorts of girlie, pretty, sweet, and gentle accessories come under this category. It’s a rare Spring season that doesn’t have a Romantic story ringing clear on the fashion accessories stage.

This Autumn, we have a bundle of stories to relish, some expected, some surprising: 

A Nautical and Ships-Ahoy Story is one hot idea for the season, but it is unusual for this time of year.  Still, it is here, and it looks good.  Designer Tommy Hilfiger is big on the subject, with some dynamite red/black/white striped Tees, along with ship-worthy boys caps, and red leather banded watches.

   – Look also for some wonderful black and white stories here:  beaded necklaces and bracelets in very trendy colors that effectively blend warm-temperature products with cool climes. 

The big Hardware Story in jewelry now gives an industrial design allure to jewelry of all sorts.  Think of hammered dull-silver bracelets.  And big metallic necklaces.  And pieces that might, in another time and place, be used by a construction crew in the middle of Manhattan.  Some of these pieces look like outsized screws from the hardware store –where else?  Other pieces look like standard products from the same shop.  The pieces are generally cleaned up, polished up, jazzed up. Some have a 1930s mystique  But they still look like hardware and they are really going strong. 

   —Ben Amun has a great looking deep Sea-of-Galilee blue bracelet with gold and silver triangular forms embedded. Burberry is hot for super-long (we mean wayyy below the waist) dark gray chain necklaces.

A whole new Material Girl Story breaks on the fashion scene with eighties jewel tones, biker jackets, and wild, fetish boots.  Purple and black are the big colors here.  Add to it great-looking biker jackets fitted out with plenty of grommets and zippers and shine.  In the Accessories arena, add some hot metal circle bracelets (preferably silver or gold-plated), and pendants rich in color and attitude.

   –You don’t want to be too nice here.  In many instances, this is an angry-girl story, with plenty of punk attachments.

      –The story is also open to spikey shapes and, if it’s your thing, a sprinkling of black cords and rope and chain for a bondage effect.  Eeeeks!

STORIES KEEP EVERYTHING IN HARMONY, WHATEVER THE STATEMENTS.  LOOK AT THESE PRODUCTS FOR SOME STORY-EFFECTIVE ACCESSORIES THIS YEAR:

• Wide geometric cuff bracelet in flat silver-toned wire with hammered finish.

• Fashion scarves in nautical theme with ship-savvy rope pattern.

RESEARCH FROM STANFORD UNIVERSITY contends that one in 20 adults is a compulsive shopper, buying all kinds of things that aren’t needed.  That’s a big change from our great-grandmother’s day, when shopping was almost totally restricted to necessities.   

Now, the research gurus say, shopping fills all kinds of emotional needs.  People go to the mall to meet friends, to be entertained, to make themselves feel better, to pretend to be wealthy, even to lose weight.  It’s a multi-purpose pastime.

The interesting thing here, though, is how much can be learned from these new shopping parameters. 

Dr. Kit Yarrow, professor of psychology and marketing at Golden Gate University, says, “These days what you buy is a way to connect to others and showcase your personality and values.” 

                                       The People Connection

So, let’s look at this from the other side … which is to say, not the buyer’s but the seller’s point-of-view.  If the research holds true, retailers who can help prospective customers connect to others are certainly going to sell more.  In addition, if the products they sell can be shown to effectively showcase the buyer’s personality and values, well…that’s going to be a major success story!

But, how can all of this be accomplished?  A new idea surfacing in retail circles has to do with one-on-one selling to limited numbers of customers.  This is done through small, after-hour new product introductions, or afternoon tea and cookies in the store, or any of several other gatherings, where customers can meet others of like interests. 

SHOWING OFF CHILDREN’S JEWELRY TO A SMALL GROUP OF YOUNG MOTHERS IS A GREAT WAY TO MERCHANDISE.  THINK ABOUT THESE DELIGHTFUL PRODUCTS:

• Flower blossom children’s necklace and bracelet with pink cord and beading.

• Paw print jewelry for kids – which could be more fun?  Show off school colors, too!  Small post earrings to match!

                                  Posters and Lifestyles

SHOWCASING THE BUYER’S personality and values is a little harder to pull off effectively, but not impossible. Using posters of celebrities that express the general temperament of your customers is one way to connect your products to desirable lifestyles. You can give your store a lot of class and style with celebrity posters alone, and people will associate the products you sell with these personalities.  It’s a powerful psychological technique! 

–And, by the way: Most companies will be delighted to send you posters of their goods if they think you will display them attractively in your store.   That could include cute pictures of the Geico gecko (green is a hot color this year) or a serene picture of a Florida beach (great for family resort—you add the big-brimmed hats and beach bags).

                                   Dreams and Imaginations

YOU SEE, it is all about how you present things to your customers. How you play on their dreams, their wants, their imaginations.  If he or she is interested in status, you might put some pictures of Bentleys around.  If family life is what comes first, add pictures of children.  If being hip is the prime image-interest, play some very NOW rock music.  Get your store into the mood in order to get your customers into the mood.  It’s almost guaranteed to sell more.

And, as you do it, display your merchandise.  Connect the desired personality to your jewelry.  To your handbags.  To scarves.  Talk up the connections.  A little work in this new arena should bring you profitable rewards!

HERE ARE SOME ACCESSORIES TO BUILD CUSTOMER INTEREST ON:

• Gorgeous wholesale fashion jewelry inspired by Murano glass.

• Elongated Southwest nugget ring in shimmering silver plate.

                                                #   #   #   #

       QUICKIE NOTE I:   ACCESSORIES AND THE MUSIC CONNECTION                                             

DON’T MISS GEORGIA MAY JAGGER, the new face of Hudson Jeans, in a major advertising blitz soon to break on the fashion world.  The daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, the petite blond beauty gives new meaning to pricey jeans and proves that the music and fashion worlds continue to be inextricably connected.  A major addition to Jagger’s great denim outfits: A metallic mélange of bangle bracelets worn in multiples.  This is a look that just won’t give up!

   — Oh, yes, despite the gloomy economic environment, the premium denim category grew in 2008, which “is a pretty amazing thing,” the company admits.  Sales rose 16 percent over 2007!

YOU CAN TAP INTO THE SAME TRENDY ACCESSORIES’ LOOK WITH THESE HIGH-STYLE, WELL-PRICED BRACELETS:

• Animal print bracelet with acrylic oval links with smoky transparency that allows leopard print to radiate through.

• Multiple row tribal bracelets – color, handcrafted appearance.    

                      QUICKIE NOTE II:  BYE BYE BLUE

THE LONG-STANDING RETAIL BLUE LAWS of la belle France seem to be buckling under the weight of popular demand plus…the backing of President Nicolas Sarkozy.  The French Senate has passed a bill that will let more stores stay open on Sunday, despite the opposition of the Socialist Party.  If passed into law, stores selling a wide variety of goods, including fashion and accessories, will be allowed to remain open on Sundays in most major cities such as Paris and Marseille.

   —Under a 1906 law, stores in France are required to close on Sundays, unless they sell food or have “cultural value” (such as bookstores), or if they are located in critical tourist areas.  Sundays in France have traditionally been reserved for rest and family.