Scene B Seen

Julie Feldman: The Princess of Pocketbooks

Britten — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:54:25 -0400

A few weeks ago, I had the fortunate pleasure of meeting the fantastic Julie Feldman of Julie Feldman Designs. I was in Southampton with my friend, Stephanie Newhouse, who was there representing Self Magazine, one of the sponsors for Ellen's Run. The day before the run for Breast Cancer, Stephanie insisted that I meet Ms. Felman to take a look at her fabulous bag collection.

Immediately, Ms. Feldman graciously offered a purse of our choice, to model at that evening's Gala event: HEAT at Steven Klein's Estate. Let me tell you, it was difficult to choose just one. Ms. Feldman's handbags are custom-made from florals, satins, silks, leathers and exotic fabrics and trims. Having been featured on Fox News, CoolDesignerHandbags.com, in Accessories Magazine, Couture Magazine, the New York Post, the Santa Monica Star, and the Las Vegas Review Journal, among others, I now knew why. Divine.

A Chicago native, Ms. Feldman left the Windy City for Los Angeles bringing with her a passion for art and design. As an artist, her work usually took form in welded steel sculptures and oil paintings. Several years ago, after an art showing of her welded copper roses, Ms. Feldman was awed by the beauty and innocence of tiny, colorful, fabric roses. She began adorning satin evening bags with hundreds of brilliantly colored silk ribbon baby roses in "pavé-style". This was the birth of her Signature Baby Rose Collection.

What's even more fabulous then the pocketbooks themselves, Ms. Feldman created Handbags for Humanity® to honor and assist the great work of certain charities and foundations. "Over the years," Julie says, "I have felt extraordinarily lucky to be involved with organizations, and more profoundly the people behind them, that make a huge difference in people's lives. I count myself privileged to be able to give something back."

Whenever a handbag or accessory is purchased through the website that is accompanied by a handbag icon, Julie Feldman Designs donates a portion of that sale to one of the organization's profiled on the page; Ellen's Run, Center Theatre Group, Long Beach Women's Cancer League, and Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

Um, hello? How much do you already love her?!

If you haven't already, check out the website HERE, and get one of your own custom-made designs that have been adorned on some of Hollywood's A-list celebs.

*JFD: Julie in Hot Pink Hornback Leather

*JFD: The Tye Dye Collection: SOLD OUT!

*JFD: Pirate Skull Beltbag

Fashion Week Recap Part 1: Sept 10th - Sept 14th

Britten — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:57:05 -0400

Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week '09

Spring/Summer 2010

September 10th - September 14th

9/10:

Michael Angel at The Salon, Duckie Brown at The Salon, Elie Tahari at 11 w. 42nd, Cesar Galindo at M2 Ultra Lounge, Vena Cava at Milk Studios, TRESemme: Mara Hoffman, Nicholas K. and Whitney Eve at The Promenade, Rosa Cha at The Salon, Davidelfin at The Promenade, and BCBG by Max Azria at The Tent.

9/11:

Cynthia Steffe at The Salon, Jason Wu at St. Regis, Cynthia Rowley at Gotham Hall, Venexiana at The Salon, Charlotte Ronson at The Promenade, Luca Luca at Altman Building, Monarchy Collection at The Tent, and Erin Watson + RCVA at The Tent.

9/12:

Georges Chakra at The Promenade, ADAM at Milk Studios, Andy & Debb at The Salon, Christian Siriano at The Promenade, Chado Ralph Rucci at The Tent, and Vivienne Tam at The Promenade.

9/13:

Lela Rose at The Salon, Derek Lam at The Promenade, Gerlan Jeans, at 250 Park Ave., Herve Leger at The Promenade, Thuy at The Salon, Diane Von Furstenberg at The Tent, Y-3 at Park Ave. Armory, and Custo Barcelona at The Tent.

9/14:

Carolina Herrara at The Tent, Carlos Miele at The Promenade, Tony Cohen at The Promenade, Gottex at The Tent, and Marc Jacobs at The Armory.

*Gallery appears in alphabetical order by designer

*all photos courtesy of Zimbio.com

*please be sure to click on links to see SBS photo galleries

DRESSED Documentary Sneak Peek at Soho House

Britten — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:10:10 -0400

Onerock Moving Pictures screened an intimate sneak peek of their documentary DRESSED to New York’s tastemakers and press at Soho House members’ club and hotel in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District on September 10th.

DRESSED is a heartfelt documentary that takes a look at Laotian-American fashion designer, Nary Manivong, who defies the odds of a broken childhood and homelessness to follow his dream of showing his collection at New York’s Fashion Week and launching his brand.

The film also features a cast of top fashion experts: Fern Mallis, Senior Vice President of IMG Fashion; Ohio designer Nanette Lepore; Mickey Boardman of Paper Magazine; Author Mary Gehlhar “Fashion Designer’s Survival Guide”; Simon Collins, Dean of Fashion for Parsons, The New School for Design; Industry Consultant George Furlan; Simon Doonan, Creative Director of Barneys New York, author of four books and columnist for The New York Observer; Stylist Robert Verdi; President of The Fashion Group International, Margaret Hayes; and fashion writer Lynn Yaeger.

Following the 15 minute sneak peek (which had a killer soundtrack, btw), Director David Swajeski, Executive Producer Maryanne Grisz, Nary Manivong, and a few of the cast members, gathered for a Q&A.

The decorous Mr. Manivong, who had his New York Fashion Week runway show earlier that evening, was all smiles and definitely ready to relax for the rest of Fashion Week. Mr. Manivong appeared grounded and was completely receptive to audience inquiries.

I spoke with Ms. Grisz about the moving documentary. I wondered how the direction of the film from the onset moved throughout the year of filming. "We always saw the central story/theme being about the strength of the human spirit. Working with Nary was very inspiring as he just kept moving forward in pursuit of his dream in spite of the tremendous odds against him."

I believe the essence of Mr. Manivong spoke beautifully within DRESSED to produce an absolutely inspiring documentary. I can't wait to see the full-length feature.

For additional information, visit www.dressed-themovie.com and www.narymanivong.com.

*photo 1: Still from DRESSED (model and Nary Manivong)

*photo 2: Still from DRESSED (Nary Manivong)

*photo 3: Nary Manivong at DRESSED Sneak Peek

*photo 4: Executive Producer Maryanne Grisz

*photo 5: Director David Swajeski and Nary Manivong at DRESSED Sneak Peek

Michael H & Rock Punk Couture Presents: Bashers

Britten — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:03:16 -0400

Bowery Electric was alive and kickin' Wednesday Night. Michael H wore his stellar designs while killin' it with the band. Basher members Earl Slick (Bowie), Frank Ferrer (Guns n' Roses), Richard Fortus (Guns n' Roses), and Sammi Yaffa (New York Dolls), also rocked out in pieces from Michael H's collection.

The packed house enjoyed complimentary Makers Mark, while experiencing a clever twist to a New York Fashion Week presentation. It certainly left me wanting more. More from the Rock Punk Couture and Michael H collection, not more whiskey...

You can order custom threads by contacting Michael H via Facebook or Email

Nolcha: Rock Hard Atelier, Afanador, Quiet Riot

Britten — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:23:28 -0400

Nolcha New York Fashion Week '09

Rock Hard Atelier, Afanador, and Quiet Riot: 9/16/09

Spring/Summer 2010

Bohemian National Hall

Allison Parris: 9/15/09

Britten — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:29:12 -0400

Allison Parris

Spring/Summer 2010

Red Bull Space Soho

*All photos by Victor Medina-San Andres

Milly: Bryant Park Promenade

Britten — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:37:17 -0400

Milly: Punk Prep

Spring/ Summer 2010

Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week

Toni Francesc: Bryant Park Salon

Britten — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:33:47 -0400

Toni Fancesc Spring/Summer 2010

9/15/09

Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week

Gen Art's 15th Anniversary Fresh Faces in Fashion Show

Britten — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:07:45 -0400

Gen Art's 15th Anniversary Fresh Faces in Fashion Show presented by irockinspiration.com.

Hosted by the new face on "Gossip Girl"
JoAnna Garcia

The program is Gen Art's anchor fashion event which this year will showcase the debuts of 7 emerging womenswear and menswear designers on the runway and 3 accessories designers in installations.

Gen Art's Fresh Faces in Fashion show is the Grand Finale of the Style 360 Shows, a 4 day fashion experience produced by HFM Media and A - list Communications (Sept 12-15), with involvement from Rock Media.

Some of the best emerging fashion designers in womenswear, menswear and accessories have debuted with the Fresh Faces New York show including Zac Posen, Rebecca Taylor, Phillip Lim, Vena Cava, Sari Gueron, Shoshanna, Rafe, Eugenia Kim, Milly, Duckie Brown, Twinkle and many more.

Participating Designers:

Womenswear
Cloak & Dagger
Duskin
Linus
Min Young Lee
Vicente Villarin
Yeojin Bae

Menswear
S2VS

Accessories
Dieppa Restrepo (shoes)
Samma (jewelry)
Wendy Nichol (handbags)

Meredith Khan's Made Her Think Collection: Who What Wear

Sam Jones — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:28:18 -0400

Have you ever wondered where to find those "one-of-a-kind" edgy pieces that celebrities and other stylish chicks rock around the streets of New York and L.A.? Well look no further. Each and every piece of jewelry from Meredith Khan’s Made Her Think collection practically begs you to conjure your inner rock star.

Galvanized by the joys of both life and death, her jewelry combines the essence of just the right amount of neo grunge with vintage Victorian charm. Meredith’s designs radiate a dark ruminate romanticism that plays with the apperception of what could be described as a medieval allure.

Launched in 2004, her work has blessed the pages of Vogue, Allure, In Style and Elle. Needless to say that most of today’s celebrity stylists (i.e. Britt Bardo) continuously incorporate Meredith’s pieces into their photo shoots/editorial endeavors. Angelina Jolie, Blake Lively, Mary-Kate Olsen, Rihanna, and Diane Kruger all love wearing Meredith’s Made Her Think Collection and with very good reason; her designs are beautiful, yet BOLD with each piece carrying a vintage one of a kind element to it.

Meredith came into my studio to work on her LEATHER handbag collection (which btw is ridiculously sexy, with the same Goth Allure aesthetic as her jewelry line) and I instantly fell in love with her.

She’s inadvertently creating an “ACCESSORY INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION” whether she knows it or not.

Made Her Think Jewelry is reasonably priced so, even in this economic climate, we can still afford to properly accessorize without dipping into your rent stash. I assure you that since I received my Talon Knuckle Buster ring I’ve been stopped at least a dozen times and asked “where do I get one?”

You can purchase her pieces @ www.madeherthink.com, www.shopbop.com and www.funkylala.com.

Industry Background:

Meredith Khan attended FIT in NYC where she studied fashion design. She then began designing clothing for Old Navy. In 2004 Meredith’s cultivated her Made Her Think line. She is currently expanding her line incorporating leather handbags into her collection.