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Fashion

Fashion

Style Mafia Confessions

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By Nycole Sariol Trying to stake your claim within the Miami fashion scene is no walk in the park, and especially when it comes to launching your own brand. Limited access to quality yet inexpensive fabrics is made near impossible to find; well-thought out design concepts hard to come across; and of course, who can forget, the grueling pressure of your neighboring competitors, all elbowing to snag the same spotlight of recognition. But for the 22 year-old Miami native and founder of local, contemporary brand Style Mafia, Simonett Pereira is the head of the fashion mob – or rather mafia. “We just got a bunch of new stuff, like fifty new pieces,” says the iced-blonde, style vixen while juggling curating a photo shoot for the cover of a Colombian magazine, keeping tally of stylist pulls, and lunging through box-loads of fresh, new merchandise. Although the fashion realm is where Pereira breathes easiest these days, it was publications and event coordinating that led her to an inevitable fate as shop owner and style peacemaker. Places like 944 Magazine and big time event firms provided the experience that she required, but not the artistic satisfaction that she in fact craved. “I’m a networker,” she proudly confirms. But it wasn’t until the youngling turned to blogging that which filled the hallowed void Simonett was desperate to find. “There were these sporadic stylists, bloggers, and designers that were dispersed throughout Miami and I wanted to bring them all together.” And so it was – the birth of Style Mafia – a platform where 305 and 786 patrons of the fashion-obsessed variety could showcase their talent through exclusive productions like photo shoots and video blogs. While Pereira was focused on bringing inspiration to the Magic City through her blog, she was also catering to the retail-holics via mobile app Poshmark, selling pieces from her very own closet. “I finally got to the point where I would sell up to 60 items in a week!”And then, a light-bulb moment evinced from a suppressed idea was released, allowing Style Mafia to evolve from blog to brand.“I wanted something really different,” states Pereira about her contemporary womenswear line dedicated to all things, mesh, clean-cut, and embroidery. But for Pereira, sending a message out into her community is not just about textiles and drapery, it’s about making a grand entrance, ergo the opening of her Wynwood boutique in December of last year. “The outside was covered in graffiti; there was blue carpet that was ridden of humidity; it had slate walls and it smelled like death,” she describes her now-gallery inspired boutique kissed by modernity, pre-renovation. “I wish I had a picture to show you,” giggling to herself. The launch of the 3,000 sq. ft. compound gave way to a 55-piece collection and a generous following almost immediately. There, retailers and casual clientele all call Style Mafia home. Today, the brand is carried in over 50 stores worldwide and was spotted at the Latin Grammys and Good Morning America. So what’s next for this already booming brand? “We just re- launched our website and blog!” Simonett squeamishly blurted out. “We also have a fashion film that we are producing next week,” she states. Style Mafia will debut the artful fashion film at a private exposition later this month, collaborating along side local artist, Sabrina Yanguas. “We are doing limited edition accessories in collaboration with Sabrina’s art and my pieces.” “We have a little bit for everyone,” Pereira says, “Style Mafia is a place where you can rediscover your style.” The mob-boss affirms. All images courtesy of Style Mafia. Click here to view this post in the March/April 2014 issue.

Fashion

Louis Vuitton Hitches A Ride In The BMW i8

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By Nycole Sariol This spring, ditch the burnt-out Corolla for your weekend getaway. You deserve so much better. Instead, let the BMW i8 with it’s bespoke set of luggage from French fashio house, Louis Vuitton, serve as the only acceptable mode of travel. With the recent arrival of the hybrid likes of the i8, LV wanted to capitalize on this efficient way of voyaging by introducing the carbon fiber luggage and its made-to-fit function within the plug-in sports car – from the colors right down to the storage. This collaboration with BMW epitomizes our shared values of creativity, technological innovation and style,” sings great grandson of the House’s founder and Louis Vuitton Head of Special Orders, Patrick-Louis-Vuitton. “Our craftsman at Louis Vuitton have enjoyed the challenge of this very special project, using their ingenuity and attention to detail to create a truly made to measure set of luxury luggage,” he says, “This is a pure expression of the art of travel.” The collection consists of four, carbon black, luxury pieces done in Louis Vuitton’s signature chequered Damier print and are branded with a laser-etched Louis Vuitton autograph. Rumbling and tumbling of unfastened luggage while hitting that tricky left hand turn will never again be a problem. Every piece from the lightweight yet sturdy collection has a designated “car seat” to insure a rattle free drive. The weekender GM, takes a seat in the boot; the Garment Bag lies flat on the rear shelf of the car; the Business Case, sinks into its analogous rear seats; and the succinct nature of the Weekender PM finds a home on its surface. The designer series will show face – or fiber, rather – April 1st in select Louis Vuitton stores worldwide.       Click here to view this post in the March/April 2014 issue.

Fashion, Fashion 101, Shows & Events

Lacoste F/W 2014 Runway – The New Sportswear

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By Nycole Sariol A dark cloud of seriousness fell over the runway of The Theater in the Lincoln Center this past Saturday, as the otherwise preppy brand Lacoste – known for their pique polos and crocodile logos – revealed their f/w 2014 collection and took a new spin on sportswear. The collection – inspired by timeless Chantaco Golf Course in France – served as an outlet of featuring wool skirts partly covered by low and slouchy sailor tops and sweaters, argyle shapes, and monochrome hues of greens, reds, and blues, attributing to the nature meets architecture semblance of the morning; nylon mesh lent a sporty and playful touch, catering to the brand’s stamped reputation. While the models looped around each other, straight-faced and all, the beats of musical talent such as Gasaffelstein added an hard edge to the scene to project further seriousness, and to insure that this once happy-go-lucky line should not, in fact, be taken lightly. Famous faces like, Jessie Metcalf, Bella Thorne, Colton Hayes, and the recent fashion connoisseur, Joe Jonas, were right in the mix, occupying the front row and haunted down by flashing lights and photographers pre and post show.

Fashion, Shows & Events

Desigual F/W 2014 – La Vida Es Chula

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The Spanish sun warmed frost bitten fingers and alleviated runny noses on the steps of Lincoln Center as the debut of the F/W 2014 Desigual show penetrated the air this week. Their fall/winter collection promised an outspoken and playful party of silhouettes and drapes, dedicated to a story engulfed in sequin, furry angora-wool blends, and jacquard everything! This season, the Spanish brand kept things light and bright as opposed to the darker hues, colorless palettes, and hard exteriors that we’ve been seeing on every other catwalk. Sighs and stolen breaths sounded especially when pieces like the silk maxi-dress with artisan embroidered, gold sequins in baroque motifs and a bomber jacket done spectacularly in tones of scarlet and burgundy, playing up the textured, brushed alpaca fur and lamé, floral, jacquard, reglan sleeves. Celebrities like Stassi Schroeder from Vanderpump Rules and Adrienne Bailon sat front and center, witnessing as Victoria’s Secret’s very own angel, Candice Swanepoel, led the brigade of flirty models down the runway in their anti-fall, sky-high minis. By Nycole Sariol

Fashion, Fashion 101

Color Me Menswear

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Fall hues always guarantee the given warm, rich tones hailing from the Family of Neutral, When one thinks of the autumn winds, the colors of falling leaves – deep greens, reds, browns, golden yellows, and burnt oranges – come to mind. But this fall it’s different – way different. Judging by the Parisian runways this spring, debuting menswear’s most prominent fashion houses and the riveted collections created by said houses, neutral was masked by its cooler cousin – Color! Loud, bright tones engulfed tall, slender bodies to wow and shock their audience. Designers like Yoji Yamamoto, Richard Nicoll, and even the otherwise conservative designs of Burberry took a turn for the bright side, taking their infamous plaid scarves and replacing them with lightweight, multi-colored neckerchiefs. So boys, come this fall, think twice before you reach for that black cashmere of yours. Instead, aim for the royal blue, bright green, or in-your-face print! Girls shouldn’t be the only ones hogging all the attention. Steal their thunder, or rather their color palette! By Nycole Sariol

Fashion

Strap in For Spring!

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Recently, we saw a very nostalgic era being brought back to life; an era that Jackie Robinson called home; an era where man felt most comfortable in a third layer of “skin”, made up by wool vests, partnered with lazy, wide-legged slacks. This year, during Men’s Fashion Week in Paris, the vintage air of the 1940s gave way to collections like Oliver Spencer, Umit Benan, and Burberry Prorsum. But has this old-school breeze trickled down to the female sector? Our census says yes! A new wave – or trend rather – has jumped ship from the male vessel to the female prototypes in the form of suspenders. That’s right, us women have stolen yet another masculine fragment hailing from our counterpart’s closet. The elasto-straps made their presence re-known on the endless stages of Rodarte – and more subtlety seen – Max Mara for their S/S 2014 collections. The dainty torso-garters also made an appearance on the street by fashion bloggers and style extraordinaires alike. Which leads me to riddle this question/s: If we’ve taken their suspenders; their jeans; their snapbacks; are we bound to be fusing both male and female styles to form one, big uni-style? Will we all eventually be dressing the same, inevitably morphing into a mega-population of androgynes? Only time will tell the fate of such evolution…and we can’t wait! Pair these strap-stunners with your comfiest pair of leather joggers, draped by your hips, or a high-waisted A-line skirt, suspended over your top-half; you can’t go wrong with this missing piece to your #ootd puzzle! By Nycole Sariol

Fashion, Shows & Events

Top 5 Swoon-worthy Shows From Men’s Fashion Week

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This year’s Men’s Fashion Week took us on a joyride of different levels and personas. Some personified 1940’s mobsters, while others opted for a more scenic route of paint-splattered coats and the vibrancy of loud hues, visually penetrating – and not to mention stimulating – the crowds-full of onlookers that partook in attendance, physically and digitally. Just when we thought we had seen the best show of the season, the following act disproved the prior theory by showcasing an even more mind-blowing show to set us straight. One after another, models stormed down runways, unwilling to give us a chance to cry out “Mercy!” or “Uncle!” completely overwhelming our senses – all five of them! Swoon-worthiness clouded the entire continent of Europe with a roster of coveted fashion houses giving our male participants a step-by-step guidebook of how to keep things warm and cool all at the same time come this fall. It was hard to narrow it down, but somehow we managed to sum up the top five best in show from Men’s Fashion Week! Care to join us? 5. Raf Simmons A collection noted of being an artist’s dream-come-true – the collaboration done flawlessly by Raf Simmons and artist Sterling Ruby presented a collection awash with paint-splattered trenches, tees, and everything in between. The duo, keeping true to Ruby’s artistic roots, postulated out-of-the-box staples like knitted sweaters with misplaced patches of infinite colors. The collection oozed minimalistic punk by way of tight, black pants with boxy, oversized coats that voiced out anarchy with the word choice of the day – FATHERS – to add a sense of rebellion to the fall fashion scene. 4. Etro Fashion is an unpredictable force of nature not easily reckoned with and this year’s collection by Etro proved just that – unpredictability. The Italian fashion house, known for their signature paisley print, headed for a more plaid palette this year, taking a leap of fait towards the unknown. The collection had a very Paddington Bear meets Sherlock Holmes feel about it, revealing slim, check and plaid three-piece suits being mated exceptionally with a matching neck-tie – and the occasional trench – to add an element of depth to the quadratic equation. The only thing that was missing was a wooden pipe and four simple words: Elementary, my dear Watson. 3. Paul Smith The name Jim Morrison was being whispered throughout the mouths of front row fashion-editors and prominent journalists covering the Paul Smith runway show this month in Paris. The old-school married to a new-school rock star aura permeated the air of what the coming of age “bad-ass” will look like a la fall. Wide-leg trousers with basic, loose-fitted tees set the standard, while hints of Last of the Mohican-inspired motifs glided onward in the shape of woven tunics, mocked-necks, and thick, notch-collared coats. The legend of Morrison lives on. 2. Umit Benan Strike three! You’re…in? A legendary revival pervaded the class-act collection that put Umit Benan on the map this year at Men’s Fashion Week. The filmmaker-turned-designer channeled the 1940s by paying tribute to one of the world’s most renowned baseball player, Jackie Robinson. The iconography of the baseball player was seen through cord and quilted jackets, releasing a vintage mood-setter out to the crowd. 1. Burberry Prorsum There’s always one designer that the fashion slaves of this world get wild and out about – the name’s Burberry…Burberry Prorsum to be exact. No one knows exactly why we melt in the presence of this iconic, textual, UK designer, but it might have something to do with its classic cuts, its playful sportsmanship, or its overly zealous love for plaid. Who knows? What we do know, however, is that the luxe fashion house put on a show filled with refined men wearing the finest, silk neckerchiefs, mesh tanks, long plaid scarves lurking underneath floral coats or jackets, peeping it’s unfinished hemmed head out from the bottom of the coat. Speaking of all this floral talk, its seems as if Christopher Bailey isn’t over the topic of spring just yet, underlining the subject of floral print on practically everything – scarves, trenches, and new wave style button-ups alike. For the finally the models marched passed the crowd in a single-file-line, wearing different plaid blankets draped over their left shoulder. Echoes of the past hit a resounding note best said by none other than Paul Revere and a warning only Burberry could be deemed worthy of: The British are coming! The British are coming!  By Nycole Sariol

Fashion, Shows & Events

The Grammys 2014 Leading Ladies!

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Let’s face it; the Grammys aren’t usually recognized for their over-the-top motifs. Fashion isn’t the purpose of why the world’s best musicians gather round in order to honor this night, single-handedly devoted to music and all things noise. But even so, we were able to easily distinguish who was there to watch the show and who was there to put it on! Allow us to introduce the leading ladies who took the Best Dressed title home at the 2014 Grammys! Queen B. From savage and wet-headed in her powerhouse opening act at the Grammys to totally transforming into a white jasmine with soft, wavy locks – Queen B proved once again why she sits upon an untouchable throne. The Drunk in Love temptress sat next to her jiggaman in a backless, white lace gown exquisitely done by none other than Michael Costello. Got me looking so lacey right now! Hov didn’t mind it. Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift has come a long way in the fashion 5k of life; she’s landed herself on The Don’t List more than she would care to admit, and has repetivitely bored us with her predictable pageant-queen gowns and overly-perfect, spiral curls. However, on this very night of vocal appreciation, she stunned us all when she showed up to the Staples Center looking like a ray of light. The unapologetic songstress flaunted a brilliant, metallic dress by Gucci Premier. Making sure not to hide an inch of the beaded number, Swift tucked away her signature tendrils and swept up her blond tresses in a seamless ponytail, with just a hint of bangs hanging loose. Iggy Azalea. This singer/songwriter took a whimsical approach in the celebration of music notes and melodies. Iggy Azalea, thought the Grammys to be the ideal occasion to showcase a little Pre-fall Ellie Saab embroidery. The sleeveless, sheer gown frosted with sequin seemed to adhere to the mold of the night – white, neutral, hues reign dominant!

Accessories, Fashion

A Look Back: The Most Iconic Bags of 2013

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    2013 was a year of incredible moments: Beyoncé dropped a bomb on us, aka her Visual Album, without so much as a peep – Poof PR minions, be gone! Miley had a mental breakdown in front of millions of people via the VMAs; but perhaps the most memorable moments reside in the form of a woman’s handbag. That’s right, forget the celebrities – show us the bags! We are here to bring you the most iconic bags of 2013! 1. The Chanel Hula Hoop Bag: Mr. Lagerfeld makes no mistake of gracing us with only the best in outrageously fabulous designs and controversial runway shows. That’s why it was no surprise, when the “hand-bag”, intended for the beach, in the shape of a full on hula hoop came swaying down the catwalk for Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection. This oversized Chanel-O, however not for sale to the public, was made in smaller versions for the trend-obsessed and woven-leather connoisseurs. The likes of this behemoth is sure to hang from the walls alongside Picasso and Van Gough. As impractical as it may be, we applaud Karl for his ceaseless flare for the theatrics!   2. All things Charlotte Olympia: Charlotte Olympia first stepped onto the scene in 2007 and has been serving as fashion’s comic relief ever since. Although we would love to pick just one of Charlotte’s wacky creations, inspired by the 1940s in all of its glorious kitschiness, we simply cannot! The English born designer can make anything into your night’s clutch, from a clock to a gummie bear – you name it, she’ll make it! Keep the laughs coming, Charlotte dear!   3. The Celine Trapeze Bag: Perhaps the bag that made the biggest splash this year was Phoebe Philo’s love-child – the Trapeze Bag. We all either have it or lust for it; either way it has been the top of our credit card-maxing agendas! Not only are the consumers gobbling every inch of this bag up, but every fellow designer, as well! Copycats like Philip Lim and to Alexander Wang are showing their appreciation by adding similar styles to their collections. You must have done something right, Phoebe! By Nycole Sariol Image Sources Courtesy of: Purseblog.com Polyvore.com wardrobetrendsfashion.com

Fashion, Fashion 101

Haute Hippies Unite in Bal Harbour

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Fashion bloggers, wardrobe stylists and shopaholics all couldn’t wait to preview the latest collection of the trend-setting brand, Haute Hippie, in Neiman Marcus Bal Harbour. The Cusp department was buzzing with the chatter and pandemonium by its guests, in awe of the exclusive glimpse of the brand’s newest pieces that consisted of oversized blazers and romantic, drapey necks. While visual stimulation was being had, taste buds tingled with the help of delicious pulled pork sliders and sweet potato fries courtesy of The Zodiac, the department store’s resident restaurant. By Nycole Sariol

Fashion, Fashion 101

Menswear Resurrected – The Official Opening of Cottage

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The Miami menswear culture came to life this past Wednesday celebrating the official opening of the new Miami Beach boutique, Cottage. The beach-bum ambiance paired exceptionally with the mixture of fashion aficionados pouring into the boutique to check out the latest arrivals from lines such as A.P.C, Michael Bastian and the guest of the night, Todd Snyder. Liquid concoctions brought to you by Bombay Sapphire were thrown back to add to the seemingly festive, yet  easy-breezy occasion. By Nycole Sariol

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