VERY NICE: GIEVES & HAWKES OF LONDON'S BROGUE SHOES

image via men.style.com

BLAY REPORT OBSESSION: LUPE FIASCO CHUCK TAYLOR'S FOR PRODUCT RED

www - wait, lupe fiasco is still relevant!? i'm not throwing any shade, just asking as i haven't seen - or most importantly - heard him in a while. but what do i know... in anycase, he has co-designed a siiiick pair of kicks for the product red line. i truly love these. they are scheduled to be on the market in january. listen, don't hesitate to buy me a pair. i wear a 7 1/2.

YOU NOW HAVE THE RIGHT TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR KEDS

www - way to stay chic and relevant! keds, the sneakers we all know and love from our childhood, is getting major brownie points for its latest initiative: customizable kicks. this new features is officially called keds studio and it allows you to be your own shoe designer. simply log on to http://www.keds.com/ and upload your favorite photos, words, and logos which will then be placed onto your favorite style of keds. prices start at only $60.

IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW...BEYONCE'S RING IS....

usa - 18 karats and worth nearly 5 million u.s dollars. this is according the england's daily mail newspaper. it is also reportedly a very rare stone that is said to be totally flawless. beyonce's husband, jay-z, purchased the ring from lorrain shwarz jewelers. good for beyonce. personally, i don't necessarily require all this fabulosity. a tiffany's engagement ring and wedding band in platinum with a princess cut diamond will do just fine. someone please tell my boyfriend.

photo via the daily mail.

KIND OF LIKE WHAT COLE HAAN DID WITH NIKE.....NINE WEST AND NEW BALANCE UNITE

usa - this is a cute match, if not necessarily a cutting edge one. hot on the heels of cole haan and nike's collaboration, well really years after it was done,u.s shoe retailer nine west and sneaker company new balance have announced a collaboration. there are precious little deets so far, but it promises to be rich with ultra comfortable heels at extremely comfortable price points. fashionistas with a budget and bunions can now rejoice!


photosource: fashionista.com

WHEN KEEPING IT NICHE GOES WRONG...

usa - so i remember seeing the recent batch of nike ads in new york city on west fourth and thinking...interesting. it was a combination of the sexually charged poses they had male players/models in combined with phrases like "that aint right," written boldly across the ads. truth is, it reflects reality. anyone whose seen street basketball knows how in your face/touchy/and aggressive it can be. nike was spot on in its interpritation, but not exactly spot on in its execution. as it turns out, they offended a few folks in the states with their ads and have now decided to pull them. in a press release they cited their, "history of supporting athletes regardless of their sexual orientation" as a primary reason for withdrawing their ads. check them out on the left. what are your thoughts?

ZAHA HADID AND MELISSA UNITE? THIS HAS GOT TO BE GOOD!

london - talk about stepping your game up. mellissa, the brazilian shoe brand known and loved for their flip flops has teamed up with zaha hadid. who is the genius who brokered this? ( i am not even being sarcastic). and can we give a standing ovatoin to zaha hadid for being relevant beyond architecture? like frank ghery she has just surpassed her field to become a mark of style in everything and for everything she doe$. that we should all be so lucky. but i digress....the shoe debuts this coming september and will be available in eight colors, hand picked by hadid. it will be available exclusively from dover street market in london.

GET READY TO BE INSPIRED: HOW ONE FASHIONISTA LEFT LAW BEHIND AND BAGGED A FASHIONABLE NEW CAREER

new york - blaynista's can i get your ear for a minute? now i know we do these career chronicles quite often, but this one simply blew me away. alicia ferriabough of sukari new york, is an unlikely fashionista. this spelman graduate started out as an entertainment lawyer. but after years of being unfulfilled she made the bold move to leave law behind and follow her life long passion: fashion. thus came to be her much loved bag collection - sukari new york. sukari is a line of hand-crafted luxury bags made from exotic leathers and rich materials. as it's described on the website, http://www.sukarinewyork.com/, "sukari is a paragon of modernity and style." the same can be said about the designer of these bags, ferriabough, who is every bit as dynamic, beautiful and inspiring as the amazing bags she designs. i caught up with her a few weeks ago (i know! alicia please forgive my tardiness!) to discuss how she got her start and where she sees her label/career going. see the transcript below...

what's your name?

Alicia D. Ferriabough

...and your age (optional)?

30 something

where do you live?

New York

...and your title
Owner, designer of Sukari, New York

that's a very cute one! are you passionate about your job?
Now I am! Before Sukari came to be I practiced corporate and entertainment law for a few years, but it never got me excited. I didn’t wake up in the morning amped up to draft a contract or a legal memo. I thought that by representing recording artists I would vicariously satisfy my need for creative expression, but it just reminded me of how off track I was.

what inspired you to pick this?
I chose designing accessories, handbags in particular, because I've always been creative and resourceful and loved fashion! When I was young, you could always find me in my bedroom (ahem, the creative studio) sewing, stapling or gluing something. From wardrobe sachets to baby dolls and wallets, anything I liked and saw in the stores, I tried to recreate it and put my own spin on it. I also LOVED the movie “Mahogany” featuring the uber fabulous, Diana Ross, as a burgeoning world-famous fashion designer; it was such an inspiring movie for me that I even modeled for a stint just so I could wear fabulous clothes and jewelry.

oh i love it!!!! you are a clever girl. did you go to college or trade school to learn how to design?
No, I actually studied political science at Spelman College then went to law school at Northwestern University. It was not until I decided to dive head first into my passion that I began taking courses at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. I took a few classes geared toward marketing and producing accessories.

that was a smart move. so now that you are knee-deep in this what have you learned about getting to your level - and staying there!?
I’m still figuring this out myself, but I think it takes perseverance, confidence, patience and a healthy dose of fear…fear of regret that is. I never want to regret not giving this venture my all, so I give it 110%. Since the launch of our Sukari collection, I feel like I have been eating and sleeping all things Sukari! I can’t help but stare at and study women’s handbags, shoes and belts as I walk the streets of New York.

what do you love most about what you do?
I love seeing my sketches come to life, but most of all, I enjoy seeing women wearing my handbags!

what makes your job a challenge?
I think the most challenging part of this whole business is introducing a new brand to the market. You could have the hottest new product, but the public won’t necessarily embrace it right away just because it's new. It really does take resources, time, effort, and luck to crack the market. You have to continuously implement different strategies and try new angles and hope that one of them breaks the ice.

would you recommend your career path to others?
I highly recommend people follow their dreams whatever they are; life’s too short not to. I’ve heard it said many times that one should do what you love and money and abundance will follow. I believe that is true. Fashion is a tough, fickle business, but if that’s what you love to do, you have to make it happen.

finally - because we live for compliments here at theblayreport.com - what do you love about this blog?
You’re worldwide, Zandile! I love your panoramic fashion features...myopic views on anything are so lame. Also, I love the Career Chronicles. Getting caught up on what’s happening behind the labels is a must, especially for me as a designer and entrepreneur; I need to know what’s happening on all fronts of fashion. LOVE IT!!

oh! and since this is a fashion blog, we have to ask you a fashionable question: describe an outfit that completely captures your style and personality?
I’ve been told that I have a conservative, yet earthy-chic, sophisticated style. My personality is eccentric and colorful. An outfit that epitomizes that description on a normal day is a pair of Hudson dark denim jeans, a sexy sweater (probably with bat wing sleeves...love them), Argentinean cowboy boots, jazzy bangles, hot shades, a Sukari necklace, and an espresso-colored Sukari Oaxaca shoulder bag. But on a “dress up” occasion I might wear a Butter by Nadia wrap dress with some hot Jimmy Choo boots (or strappy sandals), glitzy bangles from India or beaded ones from South Africa on my wrists, a colorful beaded choker around my neck and a Sukari Buenos Aires clutch under my arm!

SO....WHICH ONE WOULD YOU BUY?

worldwideweb - so yall know how much i love fashionista.com. and like a nerd, i get especially excited when i see their "adventures in copyright" section where they juxtapose two items which seem identical but are from different companies. as always forever 21 is the main store ripping off a high end label. this time it's fendi. these two clutches are eerily similar. but considering that the forever 21 version probably costs $21 and the fendi one $2100 (just guessing here, but i am sure i am close) which one would you buy? honestly!?

WHOSE RECESSION IS IT ANYWAY? LUXURY COMPANIES POST INCREASED EARNINGS

usa - okay maybe luxury companies is over reaching. i am really talking specifically about one luxury company: hermes. the uber-luxury brand, which has some of the highest price points in the category (think upwards of $20,000 USD for a custom birkin bag, their staple product and a favorite of victoria beckham.) has announced that profits have grown over 12% in the second quarter, with primary profits being gained in america and asia. it just goes to show, as i mentioned in a previous huffington post column, that the reality of an economic recession is truly relative. just my two cents...
photo source: www.victoriaanddavidbeckham.blogspot.com

OHMYGOODNESS!!! DAVID YURMAN EYEWEAR!!! I AM SO EXCITED!

new york - dear blaynista! tell me i am NOT the only one obsessed with david yurman jewelry! although i have yet to own anything from his collection, i have always admired the pieces from afar. now yurman is lending his trademark aesthetic to the eyewear category with his new venture: david yurman glasses. to celebrate this new range, yurman personally hosted an event for fashion editors last week on the rooftop of his new york city office. (i am sure my invite slipped through the mail...) this is an interesting expansion project. personally, i would have assumed that a fragrance would have come before an eyewear range. but what do i know...?

JUST HAD TO SHARE: SHOTS OF MY FIRST PAIR OF CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN SHOES

new york - i copped these at the sample sale i blogged about a few days back. i actually got two pairs, but these are my favorite and definitely scream "louboutin." believe it or not they are comfortable. now i am not saying i can climb mountains in them, but i can walk two city blocks with my dignity and posture in tact. that's saying a lot. so what do you think?

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO AND DOVER STREET MARKET TEAM UP: THIS HAS GOT TO BE GOOD

london - i swear, if i were still in london, i would blow my entire tuition money on a pair of these shoes. salvatore ferragamo has dug deep into their archives to replicate shoes that are now being sold at the ever-amazing dover street market boutique in london. the shoes are technically under the "ferragamo creations" collection and feature pieces that are identical to those made over eighty years ago. as an extra bonus - these are the things that excite me - each pair comes with a certificate of authenticity. the shoes hit stores on july 19th.

ANOTHER EDITION OF COPYCAT MANIA....HONESTLY, IS THIS LEGAL?

worldwide - i'm starting to get really intrigued by how much copying goes on at high street stores. thank god for fashionista.com which keeps supplying me with photos to prove the point. so....it's one thing to be inspired by the work of luxury , high end brands, but the pictures below just take the piss. see what brands are borrowing - a little too heavily - from others.

so.....the dress to the right is the original by diane von furstenberg. next to it is a copy cat version from - gasp! - calvin klein.

on the left miu miu. on the right forever 21 (they are pros at copying!)

on the left, dior and on the right steve madden.

I LIVE FOR THIS PHOTO - BUT THAT'S NOT THE NEWS

worldwide - so of course those are the beautiful boys behind proenza schouler. loving that brand more and more. they have been going from strength to strength and as you know valentino (corporate) recently bought 45% stake in the company. now there's another major name in the fray: giuseppe zanotti. the shoe designer has signed a licensing deal with the boys in their effort to branch out into shoes and accessories. expect to see their full collection of shoes this fall during the spring '09 collection. should be saucy, sexy stuff.  thanks to fashionista.com for the lovely pic. 

VOGUE IS BACK IN COSTUME

the current cover of vogue is graced by these two beauties. however, this shot - from the inside of the book. is my favorite. (livejournal.com)

usa - haute on the heels of luxury lines like balenciaga, and lanvin - which have beefed up their costume (read: faux) jewelry options, vogue has now decided to release its ban on fake jewelry. conde nast has announced that the legendary fashion book (a fashion bible to some, perhpas not to you dear reader, but to some) will now feature costume pieces from a range of labels, from high end to mass market like banana republic, etc.

THE PURSUIT JUST GOT EASIER FOR LOVERS OF LIBERTY

this silk scarf was designed in honor the chelsea flower show. it will set back a pretty penny, around $350.(libertyoflondon.co.uk)

worldwide - love the luxury label liberty of london, but can't make your way to london? well, you can ask me to buy the stuff and send it to you (for a small fee) OR you can simply log on to liberty's new retail site. in addition to handbags and scarves, readers can also purchase limited edition pieces from the website. log on to www.libertyoflondon.co.uk to check it out. i loves the site.

FEAST YOUR EYES ON MY NEW CHANEL BAG

me and my brand new baby, my black leather chanel tote. please take a look at my other new baby: my jet black 32 inch lace front weave. damn! i'm such a drag queen.

a front view of the bag. see the embossed cc logo? it house a nice roomy pocket.

a view of the roomy interior. when i bought the bag, i found a nice littel pamphlet and a card confirming the authenticity of the bag. suhweeet!!

a side view of the bag with the gold hard ware.

worldwide - do i sound materialistic? just indulge me for a bit my darlings. that said, feast your eyes on my brand new chanel bag. i went out to dinner with my good friend omar ibn abdullah yesterday and he took photos with his iphone and just sent them my way. it's a very simple, basic, every day tote. but that's just what i wanted. something i can report stories, do errands and in the future take my little rugrats to the park with. trust me this bag is roomy enough to handle it all! okay, so enough from me. what do you think?

DSQUARED LOVERS REJOICE! NEW PRODUCT LINE

dean and dan caten, the design duo behind dsquared, flank popsinger rihanna. now is it just me or does she look draggish? just asking! (tattleart.com)

worldwide - i can't say i share their enthusiasm, but i have several friends who live and die for the dsquared label. in other words, they really, really, really love it. now those aficionados have even more to love when it comes to the label: dsquared is launching a new eyewear range. marcolin group and staff international s.p.a, who already hold the license to dsquared clothing, wil now be producing the eyewear for them. it is a five year deal, renewable at the end of the term. number crunchers expect the line to yield about 31 million dollars a year. in addition to sunglasses, customers will also be able to purchase prescription specs from the label. mu$t be nice.

TRAGIC: REEBOK FINED FOR TOXIC BRACELETS

photos of the recalled bracelet as well as the reebok packaging. (illinoisattorneygeneral.gov)

usa - the tragedy i am referring to deals with the death of a four year old boy who swallowed a pendant from a reebok charm bracelet. that death in 2006 prompted the recall of 300,000 of these bracelets which were made in china. despite the rapid recall the us consumer product safety commission has levied a fine against them. reebok has to pay a record amount of $1 million u.s dollars, the largest fine ever given for something of this kind.