Friday Find showcases the item ChiTown Fashionista has become smitten with during the current week. Plus, what better way to start the weekend than with a bit of impulse shopping? It’s been a long week, you’ve earned it.

I learned about The Original David while filming Closet Conversations with Dwamina Drew of Enstrumental Clothing. After seeing his collection of The Original David gear, I went home and immediately jumped on the site – which subsequently lead to me purchasing the “Rule 4080″ shirt (which pays homage to Hip Hop group A Tribe Called Quest) for hubby. Now I think it’s time for me to add some of The Original David goodness to my own wardrobe.

The Fela and Grace Jones shirts are at the top of my list. The former is a colorful tribute to the undeniable king of Afro Beat, while the latter celebrates the strength and beauty of the statuesque goddess we all know and love. Both incorporate two of The Original David’s signatures: 3-D design and mixed media (i.e. felt, vinyl, printed jersey). Pretty creative, right?

I’m off to decide which shirt to buy first. In the meantime, let me know which one is your favorite.

Guest blogger, Redgi Woods (stylist extraordinaire and ReFINDefined designer), will be reporting on all things fashion from Chicago and beyond. From New York Fashion Week to the streets of the Windy City, Redgi is focused on keeping ChiTown Fashionista readers informed on the latest and greatest in the industry.

“The Bond Collection” by celebrated African American designer LaQuan Smith debuted in presentation format at The Penthouse at Hudson Hotel. The collection’s inspiration came from Smith watching James Bond films on the plane during a trip to Paris. Walter Steiger provided the shoes for the collection, with hair by Keith Neal and makeup by Metro Look. Each look is named after characters from the James Bond franchise as well as his favorite film, Boomerang. This whimsical touch makes the collection feel like pop art, and ties in perfectly to the approach to the collection. As Smith mentions, “I wanted to put a fun spin on the collection. This season I really had fun creating these pieces”.

Here are some of my personal favorites.

Grace Jones (left) – Of course this is her name. The sleeves provide necessary drama and impeccable tailoring. It’s obvious that Smith is naturally inspired by women and considers their physique when making his design choices. The black wool, PVC and Mongolian fur combination is perfection and the scuba material allows for great contouring and versatility for all body types

Hollygood Head (second from right) – This body suit makes no apologies! I love when designers take risks and push the comfort zone of many consumers. When asked about “The LaQuan Smith” woman, the young designer (23 to be exact) said she is strong, vibrant and fierce. Seeing that the roster of celebrities who continue to flock to Mr. Smith for custom pieces includes Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Rihanna, I’d say he has the “LaQuan Smith woman” pegged just right!

Xenia Onatopp- The vintage lover in me can’t help but be attracted to the peplum cut. Smith’s modern approach, with the raw black Pony fur material, makes the look seasonless and approachable for many consumers.

Lady Eloise (left) – “There is an element of sophistication, edge, strength and sexiness that these women embody. This season my collection is just a tribute to the women who embrace that”, says Smith. The floor length black jersey knit gown embodies this approach perfectly and exudes a level of vivaciousness that matches the Boomerang character for which it was named.

Vesper Lynd (right)- This season, LaQuan consulted with Nija Furs, the first black owned furrier company in the nation. They have worked with everyone from Jean Paul Gaultier to P.Diddy. Here, the use of black wool and Mongolian fur created the perfect glam version of the little black dress. The placement of the fur creates a timeless dropped waist look. The simplicity of the crew neck adds versatility, as it allows the consumer to dress the look up or down with a quick change of shoes and accessories.

Strangé (right) - “Strangé, Grace Jones character in Boomerang, was crazy and beautiful. I watched that movie everyday when I worked on the collection”, Smith explains. This black PVC vinyl mini dress is equally edgy and sexy. I definitely appreciate the balance created by the high slit coupled with the turtleneck neckline.

So what do you think? Does this collection scream Boomerang and Bond?

Photography credit:
Collage and “Hollygood Head” photo by Monica Cohen of THECOHENSIDE
All other photos by Mari J Brooklyn

Friday Find showcases the item ChiTown Fashionista has become smitten with during the current week. Plus, what better way to start the weekend than with a bit of impulse shopping? It’s been a long week, you’ve earned it.

Soft. Cozy. On sale.  The characteristics of what I consider as the perfect sweater.

I ordered the J. Crew Cashmere Waffle Henley in Poppy (noted above as my personal favorite) because I was drawn to the vibrant color. Oh, and the Italian cashmere plus markdown price may have also played a part in my attraction to it. When I received it, I was beyond impressed with the softness and the fit. I can already see that it will become my go-to sweater for the rest of the Winter and well into Spring.  Don’t let the price tag deter you. Remember, it’s cashmere and based on my high standard, it is 100% worth it. Heck, now that I’ve seen and felt it in person, I can honestly say I would pay regular price for it…but luckily we don’t have to.

As much as you’ll live in this sweater, your cost per wear will dwindle down to pennies anyway. And if that isn’t a steal, I don’t know what is.

J. Crew Waffle Henley ($189.99)

Guest blogger, Redgi Woods (stylist extraordinaire and ReFINDefined designer), will be reporting on all things fashion from Chicago and beyond. From New York Fashion Week to the streets of the Windy City, Redgi is focused on keeping ChiTown Fashionista readers informed on the latest and greatest in the industry.

After sitting down with Catherine Litke (pronounced “lit-key”) during New York Fashion Week, there were a couple things that quickly became clear: 1) her love for art fuels her desire to explore different media and material and 2) she is a complete shoe fanatic (Prada is her drug of choice).

Litke grew up splitting her time between Eastern Long Island (for school) and Poland (for summer). She always had an affinity for art, which led her to pursue a BFA in Studio Art at NYU. After an internship with US Vogue she quickly learned to translate what she loved about art into garment construction.

Continue Reading

When asked to explain what makes my style so unique, I was actually stumped. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to put it into words. In general, I believe personal style is rooted in one’s background and upbringing. We all have our own narrative. And the way we dress explicitly tells that story.

Surrounded by my extremely fashionable mom and aunts (peep the 70s photo of them above), I couldn’t help but embrace the notion of dressing well for the occasion. I guess that also explains why I practically live in skirts and dresses and only own a handful of jeans and couple pairs of sneakers. I mean, even my favorite winter coat is fully skirted!

Continue Reading

When it comes to fashion design, Chicago is filled with an enormous amount of talent. And Kahindo Mateene (who is also a Macy’s Chicago Fashion Incubator alum) is at the top of the list. Her clothing line, Modahnik, is widely known for reworking African prints to create modern designs.

I enjoy following Kahindo’s journey to success. With each season, she steps her game up and consistently amazes me with her use of print.  Spring 2013 is no different. When I received notice that the Spring lookbook was available, I dropped everything to check it out. I already had a peek at a few items while shopping at Vile and Valiant recently (more to come on that) and knew this collection would woo me. Indeed I was correct.

Continue Reading

I love fashion and I like to eat. An event that combines the two is pretty much golden. Thanks to Sarca (one of my favorite shops) and SPLASH (the sole reason I read the Sunday Sun-Times nowadays), such an event went down recently at The Boarding House.

Both entities decided to bring a hint of fashion week to the Windy City by hosting a runway show and brunch for the New York-based brand, Nieves Lavi. Known for its relaxed silhouettes, bold colors and eye-catching prints, Nieves Lavi is perfect for a trip to any warm destination or for those Chicago Summer days when you’re festival hopping or rooftop decking.

Continue Reading

Friday Find showcases the item ChiTown Fashionista has become smitten with during the current week. Plus, what better way to start the weekend than with a bit of impulse shopping? It’s been a long week, you’ve earned it.

I recently received word that Kate Spade would be launching a new collection named “Saturday” (more to come on that later). The overall theme of the collection is that every day should be Saturday.  And it shows.  It’s a fun and vibrant offering of clothing, accessories, and all those miscellaneous items you don’t need but somehow can’t live without. Like, that  Tic Tac Toe set or an iPhone case emblazoned with the lyrics to “Bust A Move”?

Although Kate Spade Saturday doesn’t officially launch until March, there is a pop up shop currently on Fab.com that allows you to preview and purchase some key items.

Continue Reading

In the midst of New York Fashon Week, which is currently focused on the styles and trends for Fall, Miu Miu decided to interrupt the regularly scheduled program with a short film that brings their Spring 2013 collection to life.

Directed by Ava DuVernay and starring Gabrielle Union, “The Door” is one of the most visually pleasing films I have ever laid eyes on. Of course the clothes and accessories are amazing (I mean, what girl doesn’t love Miu Miu?). But it’s the cinematography, cast and music that catapults it to higher heights.

The storyline is centered around Union, who has experienced a horrible breakup. It is her circle of sister-friends, which includes Alfre Woodard, Adepero Oduye, Emayatzy Corinealdi and Goapele, that help her along the path to restoration all while wearing gorgeous Miu Miu frocks. The film also explicitly demonstrates how one can wear Miu Miu in almost every aspect of her life. For such a major, international brand to allow DuVernay to have such creative freedom, from selecting an all-black cast to including an impressive lineup of independent music artists on the soundtrack, is groundbreaking in its own right. Kudos to Miu Miu for setting, or shall I say, raising the bar.

That’s enough of me talking about it. Check it out for yourself.

And just as a point of reference, here is the Spring 2013 runway show:

Pretty much want everything in the collection, right?

Are you loving the film as much as I am?

“New York Fashion Week is on and many Chicagoans are in the Big Apple attending runway shows and taking note of the latest trends. I caught up with some of my favorite and most stylish locals to see what items help them endure the chaos. Then, I included where in Chicago you can find these essentials. Not only will they help you survive Fashion Week, but they will also get you through any week in this concrete jungle we call Chi-Town.“

Some of my favorite stylists and fellow fashion bloggers in Chicago have chimed in on which items are necessary for tackling Fashion Week. Click here to find out who, what and where.

Happy Fashion Week, all!

P.S. You can visit the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week site (here) and watch each and every runway show in your pajamas. Calling in sick is not allowed though. OK?