Everlane: Heading North

For all our Canadian readers, we have some great news!  Everlane is going to be making it's way northbound.  The online retailer that turns out solid basics at an insanely reasonable price ran a campaign recently and met its target of $100K worth of pledges so up to Canada they go.  I checked out the pop-up shop here in New York a few months ago and I loved what I saw.  Clean basics, casual lines and comfortable/wearable pieces. To shop online just click here and sign up to become a member.

From perfect T's to silk blouses to wool sweaters to oxford shirts, Everlane has you covered.  By eliminating all the middlemen, the final cost of the garments to the end customer is significantly reduced.  When you look at a pricetag on a piece of clothing, even though the cost to produce the actual item might run $15 dollars, the retail price on the tag can translate to $100+.  Every party in the retail chain from the maufacturer, the actual designer, the distributor and the retailer all need their cut of the pie.  Everlane's pie just has less pieces than your average brand which benefits both them (since they can retain a larger chunk of the final selling price) and us - the customer (since we fork over less of our cash to buy an item).  It's a win/win situation.

I don't know about you but I always end up spending more of basics that I plan but, at the end of the day I get the most wear out of them. I know a lot of people who end up doing the same thing so I'm glad to see the expansion of Everlane to my homeland in Canada.

There are still a few days left of the Canadian campaign where you can pledge an amount to be used towards future purchases.  There are different tiers which come with different things but whaever you pledge you will receive a credit for in that amount (along with free one time shipping, early access or free stuff depending on the pledge level you choose).

NYFW Fall 2013: Steven Alan

If I had to describe the Steven Alan Fall 2013 collection in a sentence it would be, "Wearable comfortable basics done right with just a hint of quirk". This is a collection that I could see a thousand New Yorkers wearing on my daily commute.

When it comes to the womenswear component there was a still small voice that took basics and styled them in a every signature Steven Alan kind of way. A shirtdress is layered over slim trousers with a turtleneck on top. A leather skirt is layered over a striped shirtdress with the shirttail peeking out at the bottom. A baggy shirt is only half tucked in to trousers with an elastic hem and topped with a jaunty scarf.




None of these pieces in their individual components would be so stand out, although very nice wardrobe building pieces. However when skillfully combined, you can see the Steven Alan woman emerge in the velvet, the nubby knits, the plaid, the windowpane and oxford shirting and in the leather.

My favorite looks are the leather skirt over striped shirtdress and the windowpane trousers and dress with trench.

While I am no menswear expert, I thought the men's presentation was very strong. Interesting subtle details like twisted plackets give a flair to the collection while soft wool, textured knits and fine wale corduroy give a lot of warmth.

Colors are muted in a range of greys, camel, olives and black with hits of burgundy and soft blue. Blazers and pants are cut on the shorter side for a informal look that is anything but sloppy. Layering throughout the collection reflected the womenswear and in a city like New York, just makes sense.

NYFW Fall 2013: Marissa Webb

After bracing through Nemo in the early hours of the morning - I made my way to Lincoln Center to catch the Marissa Webb presentation.  This is her second showing at NYFW since parting ways with J. Crew - and she definitely holds her own.  Webb's hard versus soft and masculine versus feminine concepts are showcased throughout the collection along with the juxtaposition of rich textures and fabrications.  

Mixed textures always intrigue me and this collection was no exception.  I love leather worked into other fabrics in general - and in Webb's case - with luxe tweeds.   There's definitely an edge worked in which is cleanly balanced out with sharp tailoring and impeccable attention to detail.  The best part (read: practical part) of the collection is that it's completely wearable.  

Here were some of my favorite looks:

In general - I thought the shoes were killer.  Truth be told, I wasn't expecting to notice the shoes (you know...with all the clothing going on) but the color blocked metallic pumps were simply put, amazing.  Pieces like this are transferrable no matter what's in your wardrobe - whether it's filled with power suits,  girly dresses or denim.

Can't wait to see what Webb comes up with next!  If you're looking to check out her Spring '13 collection that just launched - head on over to Barney's to take a look!

Maison Martin Margiela x H&M Lookbook

I keep telling myself that I will not get totally sucked into collaborations anymore after I spent slightly more than I wanted to on the previous H&M collaborations with both Marni and Versace. After all collaborations are nothing new anymore. Everyone and their mom has been doing it regularly for the past few years but the H&M one of the true originators of the collaboration have pulled out the big guns. Yes, Maison Martin Margiela as we shared previously is coming up fast and set to drop in select stores and online on November 15, 2012.

The MMM x H&M collaboration presents a re-edition of iconic garments and accessories from the archive of Maison Martin Margiela for both men and women that span across the brands lifespan of 23 years. The collection showcases MMM's creative approach to shape & volume, oversized elements, showcasing the process of tailoring, ambiguity and transformation.

From silhouette to color palette the collection stays true to the DNA of MMM which is a bit unfortunate for my wallet. Peep the entire lookbook/price list to start making your wishlists. I have a feeling I'm in trouble - I've got my eye on the mirrored leggings, the horizontal dress, the oversized jeans and the hitched up dress. Do yo have any favorites?