H & M Scores Big with Jimmy Choo

The over-the-knee look will be hot this fall/winter season. And shoe designer extraordinaire Jimmy Choo will be gracing or better yet blessing H & M with his load of goodies come November 14th. His line of accessories will include shoes and handbags. Men will also find a few things to go gaga over. It wont come cheap though - the featured knee high boots are around $345. So prepare to splurge.

Kate Does It Again

Model and uber fashion designer, Kate Moss is unveiling her new installment of goodies on August 31st. Its going to be an eclectic mix of ultra cool mini dresses and wintry confections that include basic necessities like colorful ripped tights and all the lovely accessories that make fall and winter bearable. Topshop is going to be stocked to the hilt so make that necessary trip to a store near you!

British Invasion

One of the perks of living in New York is easy access to all things on the other side of the pond. But you don’t have to harass your travel agent for a roundtrip ticket to London because the Brits are coming to us and they are bringing all their goodies with them. Starting this Thursday, a good number of major retailers from London will descend upon the Lower East Side, 186 Orchard Street to be exact. This is part of the intercontinental shopping swap between the Lower East Side Business Improvement District and the Newburgh Quarter in Carnaby. Not a bad deal considering the unbeatably stylish merchandise at our disposal. Labels that will be featured include, Beyond The Valley, Twenty8Twelve, and Peckham Rye among others. You can also enhance what God gave you by checking out the popular all natural beauty line from Cowshed. There is more than enough time to experience this “All Things London” event. It runs until September 13. And for a little diversion you can head make your way to Broome Street this Saturday and enjoy some “London-inspired” cuisine. Find out what it means to “chill” like a true Brit.

Blue Cross Back Dress ($270) Beyond the Valley

Beige Cropped Jacket ($140) Beyond the Valley

Slim Shady!

So it looks like Self magazine editor Lucy Danziger still has some major explaining to do... She has started making the talk show rounds, hitting the Today Show and Good Morning America to explain what should be overly obvious especially when you consider the superficial society we live in. She has argued the case that having Clarkson on the cover automatically requires her to look her utmost best. That means they can't have her looking like she's had one milkshake too many. Kelly Clarkson on the other hand has always made it clear that she likes herself just fine and doesn't feel the need to be airbrushed in order to be "Cover Girl" worthy. Photoshopping is nothing new in the world of glossies. Kate Winslet and a good number of healthy bodied actresses have fallen prey to this popular practice. Some of them mind it and some don't. It may not be the best message to send to young body conscious women out there but I can't honestly say that even at 120 lbs, I would object to a little subtle "fix up" to look my absolute best. Thats something to really think about.

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Tote

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!! The famed jewelry line Swarovski known for its blindingly distinctive diamond confections is extending its "bling" theme to include home accessories, figurines, and even handbags. The featured bag on the left is absolutely delicious! From its cool milky complexion to its calfskin layered texture, its perfect in its practicality. Except for the hard to miss crystal encrusted handle and over flap. This tote is the most popular of the handbag line and its known as the Diamonti Stone Bag. It retails for about $475 at the online shop. And considering the brand and extraordinary attention to detail, that is an absolute steal!

Trendy Buzz Celebrity Spotlight - Rachel McAdams

Check out this daring number Rachel McAdams rocked on the red carpet at The Time Traveler's wife premiere event in Los Angeles. This is courtesy of Pucci from the Fall '09 collection. I LOVE IT. Anyone with a body like that should be given a free pass to where any ensemble that shows of perfectly aligned shoulders and a flawless neckline. I give this look an A+!

Trendy Fashion Buzz - Escada: Over & Out

Well it looks like the once famed design house is preparing for its final curtain call. Things have been looking pretty dim for Escada and unfortunately there is nothing that can save the label from folding. Filing for bankruptcy is the next step after a failed bid at saving their assets by negotiating to trade old debts for new notes. The head honchos are going to meet today to decide the fate of the label and most likely despite the hesitation of CEO Bruce Saelzer, go ahead with the insolvency filing. Of course doing so will definitely hinder the brand's image. But at this point it seems unavoidable. Alas, this is one in a long line of casualties of our challenging economy.

Trendy Buzz Worthy News

Wow!! It has finally happened. The Time Out franchise has extended its hand to to the African shores. I am proud to say that we now have Time Out Nigeria!! And as a Nigerian I am ecstatic! This is definitely long overdue and there is certainly no time like the present. There is also more to add to the plate because of the magnitude of Africa's most populous country. Different cities in Nigeria will also have their very own version of Time Out!! Check out Time Lagos and Time Out Abuja!! There is so much Nigeria has to offer. Its a culturally diverse country rich in resources and overflowing with good food, lively entertainment and a mind blowing art scene. All those elements combined will surely help in the booming success of the Time Out series debut in Africa. Its so worth exploring! And for those of you curious enough to try check out this website to order your first few copies http://www.timeout.com/products/ign07.html. It wont be long before you will be able to just walk into a Borders or Barnes and Noble and have your pick of which copy you want. Hopefully that will be soon! 
 

Trendy News Alert - Rodarte Does Target

Ok fashionistas!! This is HUGE. Rodarte, the fashion label known for fashion-forward and sometimes risque pieces will be bringing their special brand of magic to Target. Now anyone familiar with the Rodarte label knows that the price points are pretty steep but thats thankfully not going to carry over into the line being designed for Target. The funky knee-high tights will start at $9.99 and leopard print inspired jackets will be about $79.99 which is a far cry from their leather bomber version that retails for $3,450. Kate and Laura Mulleavy have not confirmed their new working relationship with Target but taking into consideration the challenging economy and the major losses plaguing retail giants and designer houses across the country it isn't impossible to fathom that a rumor of a likely collaboration could be true. How awesome that ordinary folks finally have the opportunity to rock out an item of clothing produced exclusively by the Rodarte team! So get thee to a Target store in your area or click on Target.com between December 20 and February 6, and enjoy feeling and looking like a million bucks!

60's Model Icon, Naomi Sims Dies At 61

The modeling and fashion community has lost a true legend. Fashion pioneer and It-Girl of the late 60's Naomi Sims passed away Saturday from cancer as reported by the New York Times. She literally paved the way for black models at a time when racial tensions were at an all time high and was actually considered "the first black supermodel". In the November 1968 issue of Ladies Home Journal, she made her much talked about debut on the cover, which was a remarkable feat for the simple fact that African-American models were just not being recognized as "beautiful" or "worthy" enough for such an honor. She overcame an unstable and unhappy childhood by defying the odds, and changed her fate by moving to New York City in the 1966 to pursue her love for fashion. She managed to obtain a scholarship and her goal was to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. But then through encouragement of friends and classmates she decided to seek and conquer the modeling world. She was rejected by several agencies due to her dark skin tone, but she persevered and eventually proved to be an invaluable asset to most of the top designers of that era including Halston, Fernando Sanchez, and Giorgio Sant'Angelo. She made history again when she graced the covers of both LIFE magazine in 1969 and the 1967 New York Times fashion magazine. Both are currently on display in the Metropolitan Museum's "The Model As Muse" exhibit. Her modeling career was fairly brief and she turned her attention to another area of expertise - entrepreneurship. After years of doing her own hair and make-up for photo shoots because none of the studio assistants were versatile enough to style a non-caucasian woman, she noticed there was a short supply of fashion wigs for black women. This essentially led to successful her multi-million dollar wig making business that she ultimately became famously known for because she designed her wigs specifically for women of color. But she will also be remembered for her fearlessness and her refusal to accept the fact that she was incapable of being on top simply because of her skin color. She was also an author and some of her books included, "How To Be A Top Model" and "All About Success For The Black woman". She was a remarkable role model for young African-American women and is the epitome of what means to truly accept who and what you are without reservations. Hopefully that mentality will make a comeback for the upcoming generation.

Trendy Spotlight Movie Premiere

This should be really good news for those die hard fasionistas that understand the power in the name CHANEL. The eagerly anticipated premiere of Coco Avant Chanel will debut in  theaters on  September 25th. It stars French lovely Audrey Tautou and chronicles the early beginnings of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel before she became famously known as Coco Chanel. Early reviews are unsurprisingly favorable considering the star power and unbeatable talent of the cast which also includes actor Alessandro Nivola and director Anne Fontaine, who explained during a Q & A that Tautou was cast based on the fact that she bears an uncanny resemblance to the youthful Coco. The film will delve into how Chanel was inspired to create those timeless pieces that she is still known for today. Keep an eye out for this one ladies! Its sure to be a show stopper!