Ivanka Trump On: Inspiration, Trump Org, and Celebrity Apprentice

This past month has been a major push for us on the press front with Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry. Lots of celebrity dressing coupled with several September and October magazine credits. I really want take a second and thank all of my recent supporters who have sported my jewels and given the line amazing exposure: Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, W, Marie Claire, Glamour, Elle, Bridget Moynahan, Evan Rachel Wood, Leighton Meester, Victoria Justice, HRH Queen Rania of Jordan, Wendi Murdoch, Carlos Miele, Kristen Chenoweth, Elizabeth Moss, Ellie Kemper and the UN Foundation through the Girl-Up Campaign.

Right now I’m buried deep with Trump Org projects, Celebrity Apprentice tapings and new sketch-boards from my design team for the 2011 jewelry collection – it’s all about getting the detail of each jeweled motif, the coordination of our colorless palette, the theme of our art-deco heirloom chic aesthetic – all of it – completely right.

I’m inspired by so many things for this new collection: my recent travels to the Middle East and the southern coast of Italy, the modern structure of the new Trump Soho building, the clean, structured looks that just walked down the Spring/Summer 2011 runways during fashion week – it’s all there in the design boards. I was just posing for a photo shoot last night inside the Turkish inspired hammam bathhouse of the new spa at the Trump Soho…and inspiration was bouncing off the blue and white motif walls and the modern chain-link chandeliers – and then suddenly I realized that I should book a Turkish Hammam treatment soon for myself – but only after the jewelry design boards are complete!

Milan: For Serious Shoppers Only

As part of what I’ve come to refer to as my European Tour—an attempt to roam my new habitat in pursuit of my great passion for shopping—I have recently returned to my number-one stomping ground: Milan. Milan is not for the faint of wallet, and you will soon see why. But I, who in typical fashionista form do not usually care to pay retail, have found a few ways to stretch a euro here.

With only 24 hours, I was a woman on a mission during this visit. As always, Milan was a bit grey, which makes for wonderful shopping weather. Anyway, the weather doesn’t matter. For those who graze Via Montenapoleone (think Madison Avenue on steroids), sunshine here radiates from the shops. Milan has rocked the fashion world since the ‘60s, and today, it’s a clear leader in all things wearable. The city’s luxury shopping extends to Via Manzoni, Corso Venezia, and Via della Spiga. The biggest names are all represented—Versace, Fendi, Ralph Lauren, Missoni, Pucci…it’s enough to make you gasp.

First stop: The Galleria, a glass-domed structure with detailed mosaic floors. And to make things even better, there’s a Prada within it. And not just any Prada. The FIRST Prada store ever, dating back to 1913. With its old-school feel and gorgeous bags, it’s the only history I ever need in this city. Also present in the Galleria are Gucci, Tod’s, and Louis Vuitton. Stop only to fuel up on espresso at Bar Zucca.

The Galleria: home of Prada’s first store

Before leaving the area, carry on to the adjacent, charming, cobblestoned Via della Spiga—if only to buy a pair of Sermoneta’s exquisite, world-famous gloves. Any pair, in any length, color, leather, fabric, or lining can be found here. I just bought a decadent pair in Hermes-orange, lined with the softest cashmere. Don’t miss it.

New Sermoneta Gloves, unwrapped. About 65 euros

Next stop is 10 Corso Como—which is, like Colette is in Paris, an institution meant for labelistas with a penchant for the avant-garde. To me, it’s a museum, with great photography and books on display plus fantastic people-watching.

Now, let’s get serious. The next stops are all about outlet shopping. Much requires a day trip by car or train (especially to Florence: www.themall.it), but there are great places in Milan, too. The Etro outlet on Via Spartaco always has the best selection of the label’s vivid paisley scarves, bags and shoes, fabulous men’s socks and jackets, and even pillows—all at least 50 percent off. My personal favorite, the Marni outlet, is a bit less central and hard to recognize, since only a tiny plaque outside residential-looking gates indicates that these are the gates of heaven. It is worth the confusion. On my last visit, three hours flew by as I tried on every wooden platform and tent top, all of which are at least 60 percent off.

Marni gates, aka the gates of heaven

I doubt there is a better reason to travel!

WHERE:

1. Prada, 63-65 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

2. Sermoneta Gloves, 46 Via della Spiga

3. 10 Corso Como, 10 Corso Como

4. 10 Corso Como outlet, in the courtyard behind 3 Via Tazzoli

5. Marni outlet, 1 Via Tajani

6. Etro outlet, 3 Via Spartaco

Shopping Made Simple

Shopping may be a favorite pastime, but sometimes the thought of entering a crowded department store to find a dress for a last-minute event is about as appealing as a root canal.  Enter the personal shopper.

Haven’t you always wanted to be treated like a movie star?  Department stores like Nordstrom, Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, TopShop, Bloomingdales, and Macy’s offer the service free of charge.

Even J. Crew has hopped on the bandwagon and extends personal styling for weddings and even casual collections.  Simply talk to one of the stylists about your event, gift, or wardrobe ideas, have them pick out a selection of items they think will work (all that time consuming dirty work), and come in for you appointment to try on and refine the choices.  It’s like having a fabulously fashionable best friend that will actually tell you when something is not flattering your assets.  The personal shopping connection not only saves you time, but gets you access to exclusive collections and designer collaborations, first dibs on trunk shows, and invites to special events

Here is a list of numbers and links that can get you started with stress-free shopping:

Nordstrom:  877.283.4048

Barney’s:  212.833.2800

Bergdorf Goodman:  212.872.8700 or personalshopping@BergdorfGoodman.com

TopShop:  personalshopping@topshop.com or booking@topshop.com

Bloomingdale’s:  212.705.3135

Macy’s:  macys.by.appointment@macys.com

J. Crew:  800.261.7422 or erica@jcrew.com

E-Lanvin

No need to head to Bergdorf Goodman or Barney’s to get your favorite Lanvin apparel. Now you can shop from your home or your desk at work. Lanvin’s new website has an e-store where one can buy womenswear, menswear, bags, shoes, jewelry, and gifts.

The site is much more than a store — it’s more like a Lanvin Bible of sorts, where fans can read news, biographies, and view ads and images. As a Lanvin spokesperson says, “Between surprise, style and spontaneity, the new Lanvin website is a true story of energy, modernity, and originality told by the oldest French Fashion House.”

Visually, the website depicts the strongest qualities of Lanvin and Alber Elbaz — elegance, emotion, and uniqueness. For the worldly fashionista, there’s a news section where all the latest from Lanvin is revealed. There’s also the ability to view every collection, from preliminary stages to runway shows to catalogs.

Lanvin’s upcoming additions, such as Alber Elbaz’s exciting new collaboration with H&M, are also highlighted on the website, plus the fragrance section, coming in October, is a tab completely dedicated to perfumes. As a statement from Lanvin notes, “The pace is fast, and the information is dynamic, immediate, and stimulating.” You are only one click away from Lanvin heaven!

Nature Needs Heroes Event – Timberland’s Fall 2010, Spring 2011 Collections

Timberland is a rarity among shoe lines, continuing to generate buzz by making huge strides in caring for the environment without sacrificing style. In keeping with that mindset, the footwear designer hosted its Nature Needs Heroes event on Thursday, September 23. The setting was on a beautiful green lawn overlooking the city and the Hudson River on Governors Island, New York, and the packed venue included bikes for guests to ride, food buffets, picnic tables, and the highlight of the occasion —wooden display rooms to peruse and promote the Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 collections.

For Fall, Timberland offers trendy Mary Janes, riding boots, running shoes, and duck boots (made from 42 percent recycled rubber!). Timblerand’s Cabot Pull-On Boot (one of my favorites) is 50 percent recyclable and considered “the pinnacle of the Earthkeepers collection.”

For Spring 2011, I loved the Timberland ballet flats in red and tan. The Spring line also boasts great waterproof pieces with “ion mask technology.” At the event, Timberland hosts dipped an “ion mask” canvas into tub of water, revealing a canvas that remained perfectly dry. What great technology for rainy days and waterside strolling! Timberland even unveiled shoes made out of bionic yarn with recycled plastic bottles.

The company remains true to its philanthropic roots, planting trees and crops to help the hungry in Haiti. It’s amazing when fashion and great causes align!

Designer Catherine Walker Passes Away

Catherine Walker, the French-born designer favored by the late Princess Diana, died Thursday at age 65 after a long battle with breast cancer.

Known for eschewing fashion norms—Walker had no formal training, never showed her collections on the runway, and avoided the limelight throughout her career—she was known for her bespoke workmanship and her beautiful drapery and embellishments.

Walker’s relationship with the Princess began just after Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles, and lasted until her death in 1997. Walker designed some of Diana’s most famous dresses, including the black one she was buried in.

A family service for Walker will be held this week, with a memorial service to follow within a month. Another great designer will be remembered for her incredible talents.

Vince + Goods for Good

We love the two-in-one factor of shopping plus charity, and fellow philanthropic fashionistas looking for perfect Fall basics are in luck!

Vince, the brand behind well-cut jersey basics and perfect little leather jackets, is hosting an evening of cocktails for a cause at its Nolita store, benefiting Goods for Good. A percentage of the evening’s sales will aid the organization, which promotes the physical, emotional, and educational growth of orphans and vulnerable children, primarily in Malawi, through the innovative use of surplus goods.

As an added bonus, photographer Andrea Tese’s work will be featured in the store. She documented the charity’s Tailor-in-Training program in Malawi, which specifically makes use of excess fabric from U.S.-based designers to create school uniforms for orphans while providing livelihood for apprentices.

Robert Cordero, Kate Dillon, David Gruning, Tom Handley, Melissa Kushner, Elissa Lumley, Laura Rubin, and Lucia Tait invite you to come support the cause by shopping.

When: Wednesday, September 29 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Where: Vince, 16 Prince St. at Elizabeth St.

RSVP: rsvp@llrconsulting.com

Kate Spade Twirl Debuts

Spotlights up! Kate Spade’s Twirl has arrived on the scene.

Created by perfumer Claude Dir, with notes of pink watermelon, blackberry, and red currant blended with orange blossom, star jasmine, tiare flower, sweet magnolia, and just a touch of French macaron (yum!), Kate Spade’s new confection is sure to be a favorite accessory — especially when paired with accompanying Twirl lipsticks, lotions, and more.

Always the life of the party, the Twirl girl can download her very own Twirl playlist to keep the celebration going all night long.

Prima Ballerina: Get a Kick in Your Step and an “R” in your Sole

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul.”

—Martha Graham

“Everything in the universe has rhythm. Everything dances.”

—Maya Angelou

It’s time to pirouette to Paris! Ballerina flats from Repetto—maker of dance-inspired footwear—have been tops on the list of French fashionistas’ wardrobe staples and transitional weather must-haves for more than 60 years.  In 2009, 36 percent of French women called Repetto their favorite luxury shoe brand.  In a season dedicated to getting back to the basics, classic footwear is a great place to start.  This Fall, Repetto is making it even more tempting to twirl like a prima ballerina.

Ballerinas, Mary Janes, and brogues, oh my! On September 28, just in time for Paris fashion week, L’Atelier Repetto will open inside the brand’s flagship.  This is the site where Repettos can be customized by the masses.  Choose from dozens of models in 250 shades and textures of leather. Next, get ready for customized piping, laces, and more.  For an extra bit of luxe, a subtle golden “R” siglée is embedded in every heel.

A pair of custom Repettos invokes the storied tradition of Brigitte Bardot, who ordered crimson ballerines to wear in And God Created Woman in 1956. Since then, the shoes have been seen on personalities such as Catherine Deneuve, Sarah Jessica Parker, Serge Gainsbourg, and Michael Jackson. Determined to stay fashion forward, the brand has collaborated with Yohji Yamamoto, Opening Ceremony, Rodarte, Liberty, and Comme des Garçons.

The Repetto brand is the supreme balance of technicality, romance, innovation, and history. As leaves change color, bare legs shimmy into tights, and sundresses are stored to make room for cashmere, what language will your soles be speaking? The arguable style icon of 2010 urges, “J-j-ust dance.”

Where: 22, rue de la Paix

Contact: +33 (0)1 44 71 83 12

Kipton on Design

“My job as a portrait photographer is to seduce, amuse and entertain.” – Helmut Newton

Alistair Morrison, Bette Davis, London 1987, Photography, 9″ x 7″, $19,800

Newton’s remark on the art of portraiture photography has been expanded to include the visual encroachment into the private lives of celebrities and the like. Though a crotch shot of A-listers stepping out from their vehicles may, in some comparisons, be considered similar to Bert Stern’s “The Last Sitting” series, the contrast between capturing the true person, rather than the performer, comes from an artist and not a voyeur. Star-struck fans are willing to bid on even the most mundane materials previously in the possession of their icons. In 2000, a Justin Timberlake fanatic spent over $1,000 on eBay to own leftover French toast the ‘N Sync-er once nibbled on. It does seem ridiculous to spend on celeb-ware items that are sure to rot away when the value of owning an original captured moment on film is much more credible. Renowned British photographer Alistair Morrison has the ability to gaze at the person behind the celebrity, revealing him or her in an honest light unseen within the glossy rag mags. As his subjects, the actors are stripped, and all that exists are portraits of their reality. Owning these photographs is like owning a real part of these icons. And besides, it’s much more sane to have an image of Bette Davis’s eyes than to purchase her actual ones off eBay.

KiptonART Artist Alistair Morrison’s exhibition opens at the KiptonART Access Gallery at 75 Wall Street on September 29th.