Dior, one of the world’s most luxurious and renowned fashion houses, is celebrated in a three book set, by Caroline Bongrand.  The three set retrospective,published by Assouline, chronicles each decade of the brand’s glamorous history through stunning images.  This set is a must for any true fashionista’s fashion library.  It’s available for pre-order here.     

All images courtesy of Assouline  

Join Wooden Hangers for its 2nd Annual Spring Preview, April 14, 2012.  Wooden Hanger is located at 414 South Washington, Royal Oak, MI 48067.

If color blocking in head to toe brights isn’t your thing, but you still want to enjoy the colorful trend, try pairing brights with neutrals for a look that’s less intense, but every bit as stylish.

1. Echo Scarf (no longer available at www.piperlime.com)

2. Zara Court Shoe 

3. Zara Double Fabric Blazer

4. Miss Bendel Envelope Clutch

5. Zara Skinny Trousers

~Jessica R. Simmons

Black and white is a classic color combination that will never go out of style.  Here are a few ways to wear the classic combo with a bit of flare.

1. WHBM Lace Inset Pencil Skirt

2. Henri Bendel Debutante Slim Asymmetric Color block Clutch

3. Chan Luu Zebra Scarf

4. Camilla Skovgaard Woven Leather Sandals

5. Zara Arabesque Print Trouser

The founder and CEO of Style Me Beautiful, Elonda Zander, welcomes you to the Style Me Beautiful Boutique Experience, Saturday March 31,2012, from 4p.m.-7p.m, at The Eastpointe Community Center, located at 16435 E. 8 Mile Rd. Eastpointe, MI.  According to Zander, the over all goal of Style Me Beautiful is to cater to the many fashion needs of the people, not only in and around the Detroit area, but around the world.  The Style Me Beautiful Boutique Experience will showcase the following fashion, beauty, and health brands: Style Me Beautiful, The Introductions of Graffiti, Trendsetters Cosmetics, Luxx Lavender Accessories, Soul Purpose, Lalani Body Center, AjaNicole, Simply Rodnesha, and Timmi Oliver of IStyle LLC.  Come support the many talented artists in the city as they showcase their companies to the public.

Mashawnta Armstrong

In this month’s edition of Stylish Entrepreneur, Detroit Style Review had the pleasure of interviewing Mashawnta Armstrong, Founder and Editor in Chief of MASH magazine.  MASH is a Detroit based beauty, fashion, and design magazine with a social mission, which launched March 2011.  On March 30, 2012, MASH will be kicking off The Dream Tour, set to visit one Detroit high school per month, at Cass Technical High School.  Here’s what Armstrong had to say about being an entrepreneur and pursuing dreams.          

What prompted you to start MASH magazine?

MA: “I started MASH because I love magazines and the fact that I couldn’t find one that included a multicultural audience in the conversation about design, fashion, and beauty.  I would go to Borders bookstore when I was in college and buy Interior Design, Vogue, and Essence magazines and thought, ‘Why can’t I just find all of this in one package?’  So, eight years later, I started one.”

Did you always have plans to work in the fashion industry?

MA: “No.  I thought I would continue on with my career in architecture and I really don’t consider myself as working in the fashion industry.  Yes, fashion is one of the three subjects in the magazine – but that’s not what it’s all about.  There is more so a message that I want to get out there about design and the totality of style that shouldn’t just stop at your body, but also your home and into your city – that’s the underlying social mission that we have for the magazine that will be surfacing later on this year.”

Do you feel Detroit has a distinctive style?  If so, how would you best describe it?

MA: “I really don’t feel that Detroit has a distinctive style.  I can’t call it. There’s more so a post industrial city ‘uniform’ that everyone wears, which is something that I don’t even want to give mention to.  And, I guess I’m not paying attention to it.  If anything, I want Detroit’s fashion sense to come up a few notches.”

As a young, talented, educated woman you could’ve started your business anywhere.  Why remain in Detroit?

MA: “Detroit is my home and I love Detroit.  I knew that people would think that starting a fashion magazine here would be crazy – I would imagine people elsewhere asking, ‘What authority does anyone in Detroit have in fashion?!’ – but location doesn’t mean anything anymore.  We’re in the age of globalization.  I’m here in Detroit, my Style Director Miea Hayden is too, but we have team members that are in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.  Our magazine works as a network.

I’d be taking every penny that I have just to pay rent in places like New York and Los Angeles. We don’t have investors for this magazine, so every penny counts.”

What advice would you give to anyone looking to start his/her own business?

MA: “All of my advice is thoroughly explained in my editor’s letter of issue No.2 (which I encourage everyone to check out), but essentially the most important advice is to just start. Don’t worry about how small you are in the beginning. One of my favorite scriptures is Zachariah 4:10 ‘Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…’ Don’t worry about the next step, you’ll get there and get past that too.”

The magazine industry is very competitive – what sets MASH apart from other fashion magazines?

MA: “We aim to have multiple high fashion editorials in each issue that incorporate models of color.”

Where would you like to see MASH five years from now?

MA: “We would like to see MASH as an internationally recognized magazine and the number one tablet magazine for the multicultural audience.”

What are the pros and cons of being your own boss?

MA: “PRO: You have fun doing what you love everyday.  CON: I don’t know how to stop working – I don’t know how to treat this like a 9 – 5PM.” 

What do you know now that you wish you’d known before starting MASH magazine?

MA: “I wish I understood the time that it takes to turnover a single issue.  In the beginning we set out to publish four times a year, but we’re pushed that back to two to allow time to grow properly.  I was being really naïve in thinking that everything would go smoothly, but Murphy’s Law states anything that can go wrong will.  Stress can kill you – I’d rather be laid back about this thing and put quality over quantity.”

~Jessica R. Simmons

All images courtesy of MASH Magazine

Want to rock pastels this season without looking like you’ve been attacked by an Easter egg basket?  Here’s how:

1. Diane Von Furstenberg Daria Silk Blend Pussy Bow Blouse

2. Madewell Patent Sidewalk Skimmer

3. Zara Asymmetric Fine Pleated Skirt

4. essie Nail Polish in Pink-A-Boo

5. Zara Lace Dress

Peter Soronen is no stranger to the limelight.  Several A-list celebrities, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Reese Witherspoon, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama, have worn his designs.  Detroit Style Review recently caught up with the celebrity designer at Fashion In Detroit to ask a few questions.    

Who would you most like to dress, that you haven’t already worked with?

PS: “Angelina Jolie, probably.  I think she looks amazing.  There are a few other Hollywood people that I’ve not been on, but Angelina Jolie is my favorite.”

In one word, describe what it’s been like to have the First Lady (Michelle Obama) wear your clothes.

PS: “It’s hard to describe because you’re looking at the tv going, ‘Is that real, is she really wearing it!?’ It was quite a phenomenal feeling, actually.  I hope I experience it again – it’s been maybe four dresses I’ve seen on her and she did some day dresses too.”    

In this internet age where most companies and designers are concerned with web presence and social media, you seem to be the opposite.  Is that intentional?

PS: “No.  I think I’m working on trying to get more of that into the picture.  It never really was a huge tool for me – it was more meeting the people and buyers and having them see my clothes in person; that was always my forte of growing my business.”

Name one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

PS: “I like getting away into the woods and having solitude, even though I live in New York.”

If you weren’t a fashion designer what would you be doing?

PS: “Furniture.”

 ~ Jessica R. Simmons

Image via coolspotters

ERollins Group will hold a Meet and Greet and Fashion Preview March 24, 2012 at the Detroit Institute of Arts. This unique industry event will introduce the entire ERollins team, celebrate the company re-brand and showcase spring and summer fashions.  ERollins Group invites fashion lovers, models, designers, stylists, makeup artists, hair stylists, industry professionals, media and more to join in on the celebration.  

ERollins Group is a marketing firm assisting its fashion-forward, nationwide clientele in marketing, branding and consulting. ERollins Group was founded by Ebony Rollins in 2006.  As the CEO, Rollins has taken her interests in fashion and marketing and joined them to form a team with combined experience in marketing, branding, social media, public relations, styling, photography and web and graphic design.

The event will be held in the Romanesque Hall at the DIA, beginning at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7). Tickets are $15 and available for purchase at www.neptix.com and www.eventbrite.com. The fashion showcase will include The Charles Chic collection by Charles Lynch, the Diane Berry Collection by Diane Berry and more.

For more information about ERollins Group and the Meet and Greet visit the brand new website www.erollinsgoup.com or check out the fashion marketing firm on Facebook and Twitter.

Looking at women’s wear designer Manuela Dack’s work, it’s hard to believe she debuted her first collection in Autumn/Winter 2011.  With each collection, the London based designer has delivered one more polished then the last, full of sophisticated cuts and textures, striking the right balance between edge and femininity.  Manuela Dack is certainly one to watch.   

~Jessica R. Simmons  

Images of Manuela Dack Spring/Summer 2012 Collection, courtesy of Manuela Dack

Fashion In Detroit 2012 is just around the corner.  Are you ready?  The final list of designers/brands showing at this year’s event has been revealed:

Peter Soronen

Homeslice by Emily Thornhill

Denise Ilitch

Motor City Blues by Joe Faris

Neimans

Natalia Villafana

Bachrach

Morada Blue

IADT Student Show

Dana Keaton presents JCC Project Runway Amantes de la Moda Student Show

Be sure to follow all the festivities via Twitter using the official event hashtag #FID2012.  To purchase tickets or for more information go to www.fashionindetroit.com. 

~Jessica R. Simmons

“Slumber Party” by Alvita Lozano and Eric Peoples

On February 14, 2012, several local artists displayed their work for Fall In Love With Fashion, an innovative pop up experience, curated by Alvita Lozano.  While I wasn’t able to take pictures of everything, here are a few of the pieces I was able to catch at the event, hosted at Salon Rehe.  Also, Fall In Love With Fashion was able to raise $695 for FernCare, a local free clinic.  

“Young Hearts” an audiovisual narration by Invisible Twins (Mario and Rose Suau)

“Illusion Collection” by Joey Merchant

“Cake Box” an assemblage of found objects and designer box handbags by Elizabeth Kincaid

“Vita’s Favorite Dessert” an assemblage of found objects and designer doll shoes by Dorinda Balanecki

“Vincenzo” a screen print on glass with mixed media and triptych by Brian Larson and Jacob Lewkow

“Untitled” a design digital print by Mark Sarmel

“Queen” an experimental mixed media garment (and my hands down favorite piece of the show) by Tiffany Best