Fashion Week Fall / Winter 2016: KYE and Jay Godfrey

KYE

London meets K-pop meets zombie metaphor for an invigorating morning show on day one of New York's fall collections. Inspired by a society that designer Kathleen Hanhee Kye sees as increasingly zombified, KYE's eye-popping colors and disheveled zombie hair couldn't distract from her perfect proportions. Her wide-legged pants (reminiscent of bell bottoms, in a really good way) were nicely paired with a crop top and/or larger boxy jacket, all working seamlessly with mixes of fabrics and hues. I was enchanted by her balance of proportion, material, palettes and prints. Kye had beautiful momentum going from the beginning of the show, interspersing sporty, trendy men's looks with fabulous pops of color and youthful, streetwear inspired looks, but the final closing pieces left me looking stage right, wanting more (although the  crepe silk satin maxi skirt was gorgeous). Hey, I like a good ending, and clearly KYE has the talent to end with a bang. Or, perhaps, some hope to uplift us from the zombified world we inhabit with faces buried in our phones, snapping, gramming, and all that fun...

  

     

  

  

Jay Godfrey 

Jay Godfrey kicked off New York Fashion Week at The Space at Skylight Clarkson Square with a beautiful presentation of gem tone, cut-out dresses, jumpsuits and off-the-shoulder pieces. Each piece was edgy and contemporary, yet feminine, and ranged from floor length sequin gowns to silk one pieces. While each look was more striking than the next, one of my favorite ensembles was the beige skirt and top (see below). This skirt and blouse combo is a perfect  day to night look.

All photos courtesy of Jay Godfrey. Photo Credit: Neil Francis Dawson

Men's Fashion Week Fall / Winter 2016: Ricardo Seco

A friend who attended the Ricardo Seco men's show with me dubbed it "Desert Raver," an apt name for this vibrant and versatile gender neutral collection. With a nod to the designer's Mexican heritage, a dose of downtown cool, and a bit of humor thrown in the mix, Seco's collection scored big with the crowd. Most fun? Seco's sweaters with their well-worked color combinations and metallic tinge, and his serapes with fur collar and trim.  Leather jackets rounded out the collection, nothing as bold as the serapes but well made and highly covetable. 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

The designer at his show, and the blessing of a Bill Cunningham appearance.

Photos and text: Dave Smedley

Star Wars, 501s, and EXPRESS

Uniqlo

There's a Star Wars collection in the store which is very cute, but NOTHING can beat these Star Wars totes. Coolest thing I saw on 34th Street today, maybe ever. Depends on your level of Star Wars fandom.

For me, it's all about the one on the left with the Storm Trooper helmet. $19.90.

Levi's
Never, ever, ever pass up a "50% off sale items" sale at the 34th Street Levi's boutique. Instead walk through the door, say hi to the really nice and enormous security guy dressed in super hip Levi's, go straight to the back to the sale section, find great stuff. Earlier in the day, or maybe in a dream last night, I was craving light denim jeans. Voila. Also, I got that knit cap for under $5. Hello, Jonas. I am ready. 45 West 34th Street just east of Sixth Avenue

Selvedge, White Oak Cone Denim 501s for under $23. They hit my mid-calf but who cares, I like a cuff.

Express
It's going to be nuts at 7 West 34th Street soon. I know nothing, seriously, but Mango is gone, Express is closing this Saturday, Amazon is in the building.... But again, I know nothing and speculation is my retail porn. WHERE ARE YOU TOPSHOP? Closing this Saturday at 7 West 34th Street. 

Shop the 7 West 34th Express by end of day Saturday and get this coupon! Or follow text instructions...

Goodbye, Favorite H&M

It's the end of an era: the store that brought me fabulous jumpsuits, fabulous designer collaborations, and endless fabulous dressing room moments, is closing down. This Sunday is the last day for the old H&M Herald Square at 34th Street and Sixth Avenue, which has been usurped by the new, biggest H&M in the world flagship H&M Herald Square at 34th Street and Broadway. Confused? Just remember, the Broadway bowtie at Herald Square is one seriously busy retail intersection. For a time, H&M operated two stores practically across the street from each other. 

Me and H&M in 2012.  

Why so nostalgic, you say? It's just another H&M, you say? Because it is by no means just another H&M to me. It's the H&M I cut my blogger teeth on, it's the store that helped me shop for New York Fashion Week, it's the H&M I first waited in line for my first designer collaboration (Commes des Garcon), and it's the H&M that emotionally saved me from a deep dive into hormonal depression during pregnancy.

Me and H&M Herald Square, 2010. I could post these photos for years. Don't tell me you have never bought anything striped or polka dotted from H&M, because I won't believe you.

 If you didn't gain 50 pounds during your pregnancy and have complete strangers ask you on the street "How many you got in there?" then move along. But if you remember that day when suddenly nothing fit and you had five months to go, and you called in pregnant and late to work because you had to find clothes that could actually get on your body, and you went to H&M Mama in Herald Square, and the first thing you tried on were drop crotch leggings that made you feel adorable and stylish, and you sat down in the dressing room and cried, well, then you understand why I have strong ties to this particular H&M. What ensued were cute maternity leggings, dresses, sweatshirts with hoodies, and super cozy pajamas. I went almost nowhere else for maternity clothing, because why would I spend $$ for kind of not very pretty maternity clothes when I could shop for a lot less at a store that made their maternity stylish? Oh, Old H&M Herald Square, I will never forget you. I practically had my baby in your store, I so lived in your maternity department, and I'm pretty sure if I had gone into labor in the dressing room you would have wrapped me in a cute maternity robe and I would have named my baby Hennes, or Mauritz. But not Hennes Mauritz, I'm not that in love.

Then, of course, post birth, there was the baby clothing shopping. Cute baby headbands, adorable ensembles, and the best pack of organic cotton onesies in town. Also, yes, drop crotch baby leggings.

Not a dressing room photo, but that's all H&M Herald Square. 

Adieu, old H&M Herald Square, Hennes and I are going to miss you.


Old H&M Herald Square
47 West 34th Street and Sixth Avenue
Closing Sunday, January 17
Entire store is currently on sale

New Year, New Sales: Desigual

Desigual

Up to 50% off select items at Desigual online and in stores. Look for cute heart tops and great pants like the below pictured from desigual.com. I LOVE Desigual pants. The fit and quality are well worth the price, so when you can get them on sale it's win-win.  958 Avenue of the Americas at 35th Street

 

Sweater, $54.97, pants, $49.97

Leggings, $35.95.

34th Street Weekend Pick: Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters

It's time for Urban Outfitters Best of the Season Sale, so visit Herald Square soon for a good selection of sweaters, boots, and instant cameras! 1333 Broadway at 35th Street

Weekend Pick: Bryant Park Holiday Shops

It's getting serious now. Colleagues are starting to panic: "I haven't gotten anything yet, I need to ship out gifts!" So this weekend's pick is a little one-stop shopping effort to cover a lot of your holiday list: Bank of America Winter Village Holiday Shops at Bryant Park.

Bryant Park is our sister company, and occasionally we like to share when she's doing fabulous things, and the Holiday Shops are always FABULOUS...

Like Bergie's Sock Shop (kiosk C1), above,where you can get Mr. T socks and subway socks (get $2 off when you buy two pairs)...

...or the park's eponymous shop (kiosk A6) where you can buy their iconic bistro chair as an ornament, or get a calendar illustrated by popular French artist Penelope Bagieu...

...or stock up on treats like Woops! Macaroons and Cookies (kiosk K9)...

...and so much more, with boutique eye frame shops, wooden games and puzzles, a great selection of food packaged and a la carte, you're sure to complete your entire holiday shopping list. Happy holiday shopping!

Bank of America Winter Village Holiday Shops at Bryant Park

40th and 42nd and Fifth and Sixth

Mon - Fri: 11am-8pm

Sat: 10am-9pm

Sun: 10am-6pm