Fashion In Detroit is back for its 3rd annual show, where national and local fashion designers will showcase their Fall/Winter 2012 collections.  This year’s event will once again include Market Detroit, an interactive pop-up shop retail environment showcasing local vendors and designers.  A portion of the proceeds from Fashion In Detroit will go to this year’s charity partner Ronald McDonald House of Detroit and Ann Arbor.  For more information or to purchase tickets go to www.fashionindetroit.com.

~Jessica R. Simmons     

I’m loving every piece (yes, literally, every piece) from Heidi Merrick’s Spring 2012 collection, which is available January 31, 2012 at www.heidimerrick.com.  This collection is the perfect mix of femininity, interesting detail and wearability, which I’m sure we ladies can all appreciate. 

~Jessica R. Simmons

Photos courtesy of Heidi Merrick

My friend, stylist and fellow blogger Alvita Lozano has curated Fall In Love With Fashion - an event which brings together two of her loves - fashion and art.  She came up with the idea to curate a fashion themed art event years ago, following a visit to an Ann Arbor art gallery.  After a recent photo shoot she styled, themed, “Fall In Love With Fashion,” Lozano decided to marry the two to create this event. 

Featuring a wide range of artistic talents, Lozano’s mission is to combine 1/3 fashion culture themes, 1/3 social responsibility and 1/3 business.  Lozano’s plans are to curate a fashion and art event annually.          

Appropriately slated on Valentine’s Day, Fall In Love With Fashion promises to be an exciting event.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m putting together a window display for the event, which I’m super excited about, so if you’re in the area, I hope you’ll join us.   

~Jessica R. Simmons

The Italian Renaissance produced many influential and interesting characters, but probably none more fascinating than Countess Caterina Riario Sforza De’Medici.  The illegitimate child of the then Duke of Milan, Countess Caterina was raised in great privilege, side by side with her father’s legitimate children.  “She was this contemporary person.  She fought battles and even owned her own breast plate,” said author Elizabeth Lev, in a recent interview.  “She was well educated and had excellent taste, but she was also an actor – when things weren’t happening fast enough she got up and got things done.  She had a tremendous physical education.  She learned to ride and hunt with her brothers.”   Married off at ten years old, Countess Caterina would mother six children, wed three husbands and become the Countess of Forli and Imola.

Even in the fifteenth century, Milan was known for its high fashion, in which Countess Caterina greatly indulged.  “She wore clothes that turned everybody’s heads.  She wore brilliant colors, she had jewels set into her clothes, she knew how to dress to impress.   Despite all her motherhood concerns and all of her political concerns, she was always very, very interested in her appearance.  Style and the impression you can make with how you look was very important to her,” said Lev. 

A natural born, non-conformist, Countess Caterina was every bit the fashion rebel, risk taker and rule breaker.  “Throughout Italy, at various points, there were sumptuary laws which dictated how long your train could be, how many rings you could wear on your hand, what materials you could use.  In Florence and Rome, for modesty’s sake, women were to wear a transparent kerchief to cover their shoulders and the tops of their breasts.  Caterina never did any of that.  When she was younger she wore very low cut gowns,” said Lev.  “At seven months pregnant, Countess Caterina took the Fort of Rome and held it hostage until she got what she wanted.  When she had given up the castle, she walked out in a simple brown traveling dress, brown was the color of mourning, with a sword and a money belt around her waist, which was unheard of because that’s [the sword and money belt] what a man would wear; only men did that.”                   

Despite her love for fashion and style, Countess Caterina was quick to remind her detractors that there was more to her than met the eye.  “Whenever anyone began to question or talk down to her, her response would always be, ‘You talk to me like this because you look at me and you think that I’m a woman, but you forget that I can think like a man,’ and that’s what made her such an exciting figure for the fifteen hundreds.” 

Author Elizabeth Lev will be at St. Regis Parish on Wednesday, January 11^th at 7pm to discuss her book, The Tigress of Forli.  St. Regis Parish is located at 3695 Lincoln Rd. Bloomfield Township, MI.   

 

~Jessica R. Simmons    

True British: Alice Temperley by Alice Temperley chronicles the first ten years of the fashion brand and designer’s evolution.  Through stunning photography, Temperley’s personal photos and brief narrative, the book gives readers a behind the scene account of the label’s humble beginnings, starting out in a spare room in Temperley and her husband’s flat, to its present day glory.  True British exposes readers to the feminine and refined glamour that the Temperley brand represents, while exemplifying what Temperley herself has accomplished through hard work, talent, determination and her family and friends’ support.  If you are a fan of the Temperley brand or just love fashion in general, this book is a must.  True British is available now, in hardcover, through Rizzoli Publications.         

~Jessica R. Simmons

Image via Rizzoli Publications

Join Macy’s at the Somerset Collection (2750 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI) for its Fall Fashion Event, October 15, 2011. There will be drinks and treats, a live fashion show showcasing the season’s hottest trends and special shopping incentives.  Also, enjoy complimentary makeovers courtesy of Estee Lauder.   

The Detroit Design Festival kicks off tomorrow.  While there are a ton of events going on throughout the festival, here is a list of fashion and beauty related events that you should be sure to check out:

Kick Off Party

Wednesday, September 21, 2011; 6pm-9pm

New Center Park: 2990 West Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI

Enjoy an evening of music, fashion and design as hosts launch the annual Detroit Design Festival

Vanity Urbanity

Kickoff Party: Wednesday, September 21, 2011; 6pm-9pm

Exhibit Viewing: Monday and Tuesday, September 26 and 27^th 2011; 9am-5pm.  Wednesday, September 28, 2011; 9am – 9pm.

Closing Event:  Wednesday, September 28, 2011; 6pm – 9pm

Events and exhibit location: Genevieve Fisk Loranger Exhibition Space – University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture; 4001 W. McNichols Ave. Detroit, MI

Vanity Urbanity is a challenge of architectural visualization in re-imagining our city’s housing fabric and an exhibition that parallel the facets of beauty, fashion, and design.

 

Distinctively Detroit

Exhibition, Wednesday, September 21 through Wednesday, September 28, 2011; 7am -7pm, Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm Saturday, 9am-4pm Sunday, 2pm-3pm

Presentation: September 25, 2011; 2pm-3pm

FOURTEEN EAST Park Shelton 15 East Kirby, Detroit, MI

 

International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT) students from the Digital Media, Fashion, and Interior Design departments have collaborated in an expression of Detroit-inspired design vignettes of photos, “sustainable” fashion, and creative backdrops entitled: “Distinctively Detroit.”

 

Detroit by Design Fashion Show and Homeslice Label Launch

Friday, September 23, 2011; Reception – 9pm; Runway Show – 9:30pm

Bankle Building, 2944 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI

 Homeslice label launch runway show presented by celebrated Femilia Couture designer Emily Thornhill, curated by Detroit by Design.

Avant-garde multimedia exhibit will feature additional designers Camilo Pardo, Terrance Sullivan and Kelly Lynn. 

Sponsored by After5Detroit and IT! Magazine.

Buy apparel from show designers available in the 323East popup shop and artwork by Bethany Shorb and fel3000ft.

RSVP requested: www.detroitbydesign.org

 

Fotoula Lambros Design Showcase

Saturday, September 24, 2011; 7pm

Dalgleish Cadillac Building 6160 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI

Previewing the latest looks for Autumn/Winter, Fotoula Lambros Design (FLD) will highlight the right silhouettes to stay warm and stand out, long past the holidays.  Enhanced necklines that provide multi-functional wear ability are what make this brand stand out amongst other Eco-friendly labels.

 

Changing the Way The World Thinks about BEAUTY: Roundtable Discussion

 

Saturday, September 24, 2011; 3pm

MSU - DETROIT CENTER 3408 Woodward Avenue - Classroom 202, Detroit, MI

Inspired by the book, Changing the way the world thinks about BEAUTY, this discussion is an Exploration in BEAUTY.

Beauty is many things to many people, cultures, and ethnicities.

Join hosts at the MSU-Detroit Center as panel speakers define beauty from their multi backgrounds, discuss and dispel stereotypes about beauty, elaborate on the effects of media on beauty, and engage in conversation about various expressions of beauty.

The objective at the end of this discussion is to acknowledge that even if different, BEAUTY is in ALL, if we EXPLORE deep enough.

 

Motivational Fashion Presents: Speed Networking for the Design Community

Saturday, September 24, 2011; 6pm-9pm

Cafe d’Mongo’s Speakeasy, 1439 Griswold, Detroit, MI

The goal: To bring entrepreneurs, artists, and design professionals together for a fun, networking opportunity at Cafe d’Mongo’s Speakeasy.

This event is for those who love Detroit and would like to come together to make a difference in the community.

Free, but space is limited.

RSVP required at http://motivationalfashion.eventbrite.com

 

3D Fashion Expo

Sunday, September 25^th through Wednesday, September 28, 2011; 4pm - 7pm September 25th, 10am - 8pm daily. 

The Arts League of Michigan | Virgil H. Carr Cultural Center 311 East Grand River, Detroit, MI

3D FASHION EXPO is a multimedia experience showcasing virtual interactivity, workshops for the community, display and presentations of textile, apparel and accessories to boutique buyers, and retail sales of merchandise by Glenna Johnson, Stef -N-Ty and Salikas. 

Opening event features author of The 2 Minute Drill: 10 Basic Steps toSales, Anthony G. Perry ($10 for event, includes book)

RSVP required, e-mail info@3rdeyeview.org.
For more information, visit http://www.3rdeyeview.org.

 

71 POP September Wrap Party

Tuesday, September 27, 2011; 2pm-9pm

71 Garfield, Ste. 170

Located in Midtown Detroit’s 71 Artists Lofts Building in the Sugar Hill Arts District, 71 POP is a unique retail setting that creates an opportunity for local emerging designers to showcase a pop-up gallery-style shop for a month at a time.

Each pop-up artist and brick and mortar shop is connected to a virtual pop-up shop, video profile, and launch/wrap event that encourage community participation in the curated environment.

This month wraps of the September shops which feature honeyBOOM, Cyberoptix TieLab, Always The Forest, and Andrew Kopietz Photography.

 

ideeli, an online retailer specializing in limited-time sales featuring incredible brands at exceptional prices,  returns for another year the official retail sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, bringing fashionistas the runway excitement online. 

From September 8^th – September 13^th starting at 12pm EST, ideeli will feature select picks from the same designers showing throughout fashion week.  Here’s the remaining schedule:

·         Friday, Sept. 9th                             Nicole Miller / Cynthia Rowley

·         Saturday, Sept. 10th                      Vivienne by Vivienne Tam

·         Sunday, Sept. 11th                        Tommy Hilfiger / L.A.M.B.

·         Monday, Sept. 12th                       Betsey Johnson / Perry Ellis

·         Tuesday, Sept. 13th                       Badgley Mischka

Beginning September 15^th ideeli will feature curated travel offers to “the fashion capitals of the world,” and on September 16^th will feature a special edition of its popular #FLASHFRIDAY Twitter giveaway with Maybelline New York.  On the 16^th, winners can score a professional kit with the same mascaras, shadows, lip colors and more, as seen on the models from the runway. 

Sign up at www.ideeli.com to enjoy the fashion week fun. 

Saks Blast

Friday, August, 26, from 6pm to 10pm, at Saks (2901 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48084)

Join Saks for its fall fashion premier event, including a fabulous rooftop Men’s and Women’s trend show, featuring a personal appearance by Rag & Bone designers David Neville & Marcus Wainwright, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and exciting live entertainment.

The event benefits Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit and Transition to Betterness in Windsor.

Tickets are $175 and include a $25 Saks Gift Card; call (313) 576-8106 for Karmanos or (519) 944-5143 for T2B.