hey guys — my review of Fall trends is up on JCREPORT. Check it out.

THE FALL SHOE REPORT

By Meghan Cleary

The shoescape for Fall 2010 is a promising one, full of exciting stories on silhouettes and materials as well as a return to some classic early-’90s toe shapes and lasts. Repertoires are also set to emphasize exotic skins and trims, mesh overlays, cutwork, and lattice.

Chrissie Morris has deservedly seen her profile skyrocket not only by adding Bellhaus and Kirna Zabete, but Tender, Zainab, and The Wynn to her roster of retailers, in addition to acquiring her own factory in Italy after only six short seasons.  On the materials side, she remains an innovator to watch, pairing a material loved by surfers–neoprene with stingray accents, as well as velcro and stretch leather as “bandage” accents. Her intriguing new use of magnets–running vertically down the heels, allowing for magnetized trims to be taken on and off at will, pairing skin accents with a plain shoe depending on the wearer’s mood–in her shoes have never been seen before. A favorite of fashion influencers from Queen Rania to Jada Pinkett Smith, Morris’ angular cutwork, vertiginous platforms, and feathers round out the collection.

Nicole Brundage continues to light up the landscape with a chunky parenthesis heel and whimsical bow-wrap details in an autumnal palette of burnished brown leathers, steel velvets, and washed metallic slate grey suedes. Her new endeavor, Acrobats of God, features a more pared-down sensibility with wooden heels and thick elastic straps on every style, which are being eaten up by shoppers everywhere from Opening Ceremony to Le Bon Marche–where a special pop-up store featured the shoes prominently this Spring. Fall sees Acrobats of God move into deeper hues from saturated navy to black, introducing a modified t-strap style and aggressive tread soles.

Celebs from Dita von Teese to Britney Spears continue to embrace Max Kibardin’s peep-toe ankle booties and skyscraper stilettos with oversize ankle bows, as well as his refined latticework and sophisticated lasts. Metallics like glossy gold and burnished copper stand out, as well as grey and black satin, with such accents as delicate feathers to chunky rectangular crystals. A refined pointy toe also makes a comeback here in quite a few elegant evening sandal looks that feature cutwork so delicate it seems to be suspended on the foot.

Two bright new stars out of London join forces with the collaboration of United Nude and Iris van Herpen, an Amsterdam expat apparel designer whose made-to-order creations usually sell for more than £1500 a pair. Turning out futuristic hoof-like platforms in black and glossy gold with slashed leather detailing, at  £895 these avant-garde creations are worth a second, third, and fourth look. Recent graduate Rick Goodwin makes shoes–fetish-inspired, turned-toe, extreme platforms with severe box-toe accents and details including nails hanging from the heel–which compliment and take inspiration from his handmade helmets. These one-of-a-kind creations are still being made in his home studio, so catch them while you can.

Will Tabitha Simmons continue her stint as the shoe world’s latest It Girl with her mix of exotic skins and old-world informed silhouettes? Will Rick Owens persevere as the master of gutsy, hard, angular elegance in the platform? We are looking forward to finding out.

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April 7, 2010
5FROM CALIFORNIA PROMISES A NEW KIND OF CALIFORNIA DREAMING
By Meghan Cleary

Fifteen years after Rick Owens launched his eponymous knitwear line in Los Angeles, the once style-challenged city has transformed into a fashion mecca. The LA landscape is now dotted with burgeoning talents—such as Endovanera, J Mary, Raquel Allegra, Franklin + Gower—while stores like Church, Zainab and Unholy Matrimony have become boutique tastemakers and big designers increasingly look out West for inspiration. In the midst of this boom, 5From California is a new collective that’s determined to blow LA stereotypes out of the water—on a global scale.

Comprised of Katy Rodriguez, Jenni Kayne, Emily Jerome, Gregory Parkinson and Jerome Rousseau, the group has an independent spirit and edgy approach that will quickly influence the fashion world at large. Longtime friends Rodriguez and Parkinson launched the collective out of a desire for more control over how their collections were presented and sold. Jerome, a designer and recent LA transplant, was introduced to the group by Rodriguez’s muse, Jessica Joffe, while Barney’s Michelle Smoot recommended Rousseau and the group organically grew to include Jenni Kayne. “We love L.A and wanted to include other people we like,” Parkinson explains of the way her brainchild has grown.

For seven days during Paris Fashion Week, 5From California showed in the heart of the Marais at an art gallery called Galerie DIX9. Buyers from Harvey Nichols, Barneys, Le bon Marche and Browns dropped by, along with editors from Vogue, Marie Claire, UK Elle and LUCKY. A subsequent follow-up event was held at LA’s Palihouse, where everyone from WWD to Style.com dropped by for a sneak peek at the designers’ looks for fall.

The members of 5From California represent what is unique about the LA landscape, and, increasingly, its the fashion scene as well—an eclectic combination of music art, international residents, an emphasis on the natural world as well as access to the glitz and glam of Hollywood. “I gather inspiration from various other places and references, but it is here that I get to develop the ideas and concepts that shape my collections,” confesses Rousseau. For Emily Jerome, on the other hand, LA fostered a desire for design: “I felt like I had nothing to wear and couldn’t find exactly what I wanted , so I made my own clothes!”

LA still has a ways to go before becoming a serious fashion capital, but with 5From California and its peers’ flurry of talent and activity, it’s not all that far away.

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When stealing away to St. Bart’s is not on the schedule, Angelenos head to Ole Henrickson Spa. Renowned among A-listers for more than 30 years, Henrickson has created an oasis on Sunset Boulevard dedicated solely to rejuvenation. With a background in both cosmetic chemistry and the natural healing powers of traditional Indonesian skincare, Henrickson continues to pioneer deeply relaxing treatments from hydrotherapy to microdemabrasion to his signature six-step body treatment. His newest skincare line, which harnesses the power of African red tea and pomegranate, was developed at Ole Henrickson Thailand and has garnered prizes from Bazaar to Natural Beauty.

Kate Somerville Spa, hidden away on Melrose Place down the street from Marc Jacobs and Marni, is a beguiling luxury hideaway where the hush-hush atmosphere belies some of the most pioneering medical advances in skincare. Bergamot, aloe and lactic acid are combined with traditional papaya acids in Somerville’s ExfoliKate, a staple in every in-the-know beauty junkie’s bathroom cabinet. Behind it all is Kate herself, a skincare powerhouse in demand for more than 15 years by A-listers prepping for red carpet appearances.

Evan Healy takes the less is more approach. Combining small batches of artisanal plant hydrosols in a holistic line based on ayurvedic principles, Healy believes that plants and skin speak the same language—and in letting your skin heal itself with the support of plant life. Addressing skincare needs with her Rose, Blue and Blemish lines, Healy also offers a sample kit that is perfect for holistic jetsetters.

Malibu Wellness bases its entire skin line on the philosophy of oxidation—the process that leads to free radicals—when it comes to damaged skin and hair. The first skincare company to coin the term antioxidant in the late ’70s, Malibu Wellness infuses all its products with nature’s power against oxidation: Vitamin C*#8212;specifically a patented nature-identical, food-grade,15 % L-ascorbic acid in fresh-dried form and hermetically sealed that’s activated only when the individual is ready to begin using it. This intense infusion of Vitamin C into the skin staves off everything from keratosis to melasma, rosacea to skin tags. And the refillable, recyclable, earth-friendly dispensers round out the eco-friendly offering.

Los Angeles’ harsh chlorinated water supply also takes a real toll on both hair and skin. Among Giovanni Organics’ haircare products is Colorflage, which uses a unique berry cocktail combined with silicone to defend hair color and maximize shine. Giovanni recently launched a line of D-Tox for the body, an active charcoal all-over body scrub that de toxifies the skin from abrasive water, and patented technology incorporating vitamins, herbs, minerals, proteins, nutrients and essential oils from renewable plants to rejuvenate and protect the skin. For those in the know, Giovanni’s organic Peppermint, Grapefruit and Lavender recyclable towelettes are a must-have for every long haul traveler – gentle enough for the face, but antiseptic enough for the hands.

—Meghan Cleary

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This fall, shoe designer Beatrix Ong is exploring new fashion avenues. Known for her sensuous ’30s-inspired platforms, signature asymmetrical high-heeled Mary Janes and chic flat sandals, the British designer will now debut an exclusive collaboration with luxury luggage company Globe Trotter.

Ong is a collector of vintage luggage—inluding a Globe Trotter piece once owned by the Duke of Westminster himself—so she has a personal interest in the timelessness and durability of the brand. She added her own twist to a trolley bag, suitcase and vanity trunk with exclusive exterior detailing in black with a white handle, along with a whimsical illustrated interior by Natasha Law featuring Ong’s shoes in a repeating pattern. Fashionistas and airline attendants from LA to London are already clamoring for the limited edition cases which will be available at Ong’s flagship in Mayfair shop this fall.

And in an effort to continue expanding her brand, Ong has also dipped a toe into the world of athletic shoes. In the coming season, she’ll also offer an Italian hand-finished, laser printed custom white and red rising phoenix on Nike Blazer high tops, which will be available on a made to order basis at her flagship this fall.

—Meghan Cleary

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Raphael Young is taking things up a notch. With a well-built team of partners in key cities from New York to Tokyo, marketing and PR headquarters in Paris and a devoted cult following around the world, Young is positioned to leverage his fanatical following into a truly global footwear business.

Young was first inspired to design shoes at the tender age of 14 after attending his first haute couture show. Trained under his uncle Alexandre Narcy, who was the head of Yves Saint Laurent’s shoe studio for 40 years, he even received some key advice from Mr. Laurent himself: “keep it simple.” He went on to work at various design houses in Italy, including Gianmarco Lorenzi, before starting his own line.

These days, Young pays close attention to balance, proportion and physics as he handcrafts his own wooden lasts, which are paired with a proprietary sole material. The resulting comfort factor makes fashionistas salivate. His fierce Barbarella-inspired designs feature aggressive Space Age architectural silhouettes paired with gleaming metallic leathers and a genius take on the almond shaped toe box. All you have to do is put a pair on to rule the world.

—Meghan Cleary

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With shoe obsessions continuing to grow exponentially, venerated footwear instutions have stepped up to the plate with products that satisfy industry influencers as well as the consumer audience.

Footwear Plus, the footwear industry’s monthly magazine, just launched a new website with a Nylon-esque feel and decidedly downtown sensibility, a daily updated blog with op-ed about how the larger retail world trends translate into the industry and a free Trendspotting email blast.

Meanwhile, ANCI (Associazione Nazionale Calzaturifci Italiani), otherwise known as the The National Association of Italian Footwear Manufacturers, follows up its groundbreaking Made in Italy social media campaign with a spot-on trend report for spring/summer ‘10 straight from Milan. Originally intended for the shoe industry, the report offers key inspirations for global fashionistas this fall from trend stories such as Vertical Garden to Urban Chic Marina.

Despite publisher Jay Spaleta’s recent replacement by Men’s Vogue publisher Marc Berger, Footwear News pioneers forward this fall with the first ever Stepping Out in Italian Shoes event during Fashion Week in September. The event is set to be like an Academy Awards for shoes, celebrating the best in Italian design and manufacturing.

These changes, varied as they may be, could be the ticket to opening the industry to consumers rather than just insiders.

—Meghan Cleary

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The short hobo boot comes in the signature Esquivel hand burnished leathers, tumbled lamb and hand oiled suede—in colors such as pink, green, cream, deep wine and stone grey—and sports an optional textured lace up spat for added interest. The knee-high boot, meanwhile, is destined to replace the Frye Campus, among those who insist on chic yet ubiquitous luxury. The Oxfords sport an asymmetrical cap-toe, finished in patent and delicately executed for an easy balance of feminine and masculine—equally flattering with bare legs and a skirt or simple skinny jeans.

The line hits the stores this fall, but if you just can’t wait then call Esquivel House in Los Angeles to order a custom pair.

For more information, see esquivelshoes.com.

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“LA’s media world is also booming, according to Meghan Cleary, a shoe expert (and JCR contributor) who moved west last year to build the TV side of her media company. “A lot of New Yorkers only think of LA in terms of movies,” she says. “But once you get here, you see there’s so much happening in online media, gaming, mobile applications and entertainment on top of everything else. I’ve experienced a lot more project development in a much smaller timeframe than I ever did in New York.”

Read the rest of the article here.

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Debuting at MAGIC in August of 2008, the Radii collection features clean lines and is produced in action and full grain premium leathers as well as treated canvas. The line also includes textured, patterned materials such as suede, patent leather, nubuck, animal prints and perforations. The metallics and patent leathers are selling out as of now, but the white and black combinations a close second. For winter, expect to see more high tops with subtle embellishments like buckles and zippers as well as cleaner hues with accents of poppy colors. With a shopper-friendly price point of $90–120, these sneaks are sure to be a new basic for the fashion forward crowd.

For more information, see www.radiifootwear.com.

—Meghan Cleary

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