GBK CELEBRITY GIFT AND STYLING LOUNGE

By: Marty Cake

Fashion Week isn’t only about clothes and models, it is also a time for the unveiling of many new products that are important in the fashion world but don’t get the same attention.  The GBK celebrity gift and styling lounge at the Empire Hotel is the place where many of these new and little know products get their opportunity to shine.  For those of you who didn’t have an exclusive invite here are some of the products I was impressed with.

Tweezerman:
The beauty tool experts have perfected all of the grooming tools necessary to stay on top of your game. Some of the products they gave away included stainless facial hair scissors- perfect for brow, ear, nose and facial hair and tweezers with precision point tips. They also sell an array of other tools such as eye lash curlers, eye lash combs, nose hair trimmer kits, and shaving brushes. Tweezerman should also be applauded for their charitable donations to cancer research.

Hard Candy makeup:
They pride themselves on bringing high quality affordable make-up for all occasions, their gift bags included lip gloss, eye shadow, and mascara.

Beyond the Rack gift card:
They were giving away $50 gift cards at Beyondtherack.com, which has all your high end shopping needs at great prices.

Pilot Pen:
Well known and dependable pen maker pilot has introduced the FRIXION erasable gel pen. For so many of us our dreams have been answered, no longer will the curse of poor penmanship affect our daily writing activities. It uses thermo-sensitive gel ink that with erasing friction will remove all traces of our unsightly mistakes, without damaging the paper. This pen is truly functions like a pencil, unlike prior erasable pens that have come along in past years.

BLINKZGEAR bags:
These are highly versatile bags that allow you to change the front covers which is attached via zipper. This gives you the opportunity to have as many new bags as you would like. The bag is water resistant, wipes clean and is extremely durable.

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TADASHI SHOJI S/S 2013

By: Alexis Schroeder
Images by: Rebekah Schott

Simply put, WOW. Tadashi did it again. He took us on an ancient tour around the world all in a matter of minutes and without leaving our seats. Brilliantly, he catered to our anticipatory butterflies with a trance like edgy cool beat. The shows ambiance of breezy blues and blacks that swirled on the walls catered to a mystical oasis setting.

The music took us from Lincoln Center to an upscale exotic paradisiac.  As the show was about to begin, the rhythm subtly pounded throughout the waves of people.  Our first stop on Tadashi’s Spring/Summer collection docked in Venice for vintage Venetian cutwork and embroidered lace.  His desert bloom embroidered banded lace sheath dress was just the right amount of youthfulness, yet sophistication.

As we made our way through the ancient cities, we ventured to Xi’an, China.  Here, after procuring elegantly printed chiffon inspired by the caves of Dunhuang, he mastered the craft of combining materials, creating ethereal gowns.  Models look as if they were floating down the catwalk surrounded by explosions of color.  Particularly, the rose dust chiffon and lace piecework strapless tea length circular skirt dress was an elegantly playful woman’s dream.

Other colors included in his palette consisted of jade, China blue, pale iris, ivory, black, nude, terracotta, and paprika.  Working with light, airy materials he draped his models in lace, gazar, printed chiffon, tulle, silk georgette.  Capturing the audience in wanderlust, Tadashi married antiquity with modernity amalgamating ancient culture with that of the 21^st century.  Truly inspiring his crowd, he not only created clothing that was perfect for Spring/Summer, but he captured our hearts with this purely innocent and cultured collection!

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MONIKA CHIANG S/S 2013

By: Alexis Schroeder
Images by: Rebekah Schott

Just as soon as you think that you should put your running shoes on, designer, Monika Chiang expertly manages to combine the collection’s classic athletic style with luxe fabrications. Discovering inspiration from a recent trip to South Africa, Ms. Chiang found the high energy and beauty she experienced there a point of reference for her designs.

Certainly translating athleticism into her design aesthetic, she paired a parachute silk track pant in mango with a georgette wrap blouse in ivory and a leather moto jacket in black.  She boldly drapes her models in vibrant colors for a flirtatious ensemble.  Monika Chiang’s eclectic collection made for an exciting release.

The color palette consisted of mango, leather blacks, navy, ivory, emerald, and burnt yellows.  Textures of leather, silk, watersnake skin, and suede in dramatic proportions and trims prepared the models for the rugged terrain of South Africa.  As you traverse through the South African jungles, Ms. Chiang prepared you with an outfit for every occasion. From safari embellished yoke dresses to an out of Africa embellished leather pencil skirt in ivory to straw baseball hats and studded leather bras, this designer has already packed your bag for this excursion.

Each outfit was matched with killer high-heeled strappy sandals securing you in for the trek across Cape Town.

Monika Chiang – where your energetic athletic aesthetic infuses with jungle sexiness.

 

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Angel Sanchez S/S 2013

By: Devin Cole
Images by: Rebekah Schott

Angel Sanchez’s presentation was a perfect example of a harmonious marriage of fine art and fashion. He collaborated with sculptor Rafael Barrios to create a dichotomic collection that was both sharp and soft. Although his designs where quite conceptual he was able to cleverly edit his work so that it was still wearable. His lofty approach to fashion notwithstanding, Sanchez is a very warm soul and welcomed my questions with a kiss on the cheek and a smile.

“My inspiration came from his work, the geometric work of Rafael Barrios. When I saw his sculpture on Park Avenue in the spring, I came up with the idea to explore the balance between geometric shapes and the princess line. Then the flower because I saw over near the sculpture, the tulip, so I though let me play with that. Because I have always been an architect, so princess lines and geometric shapes have helped me and have always been present in my work. And flowers are all about women, femininity, beautiful pastel colors. So that’s where it came from.”

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