NEW 9/19/2010- Click here for video from SS2011 show!

You take a deep breath and dive into NYFW… exhale… and its on to LFW! I am really excited to see the collections @ Vaux Hall… I love new designers. I love the passion that they bring to the industry. I’ve always said that the things that drive me in life are love, passion, and inspiration. Though there is really no way to escape the commercialism/ consumerism aspect of fashion, it’s the LPI that has kept me blogging about designers for the past 5 years (almost 6!). Anyway, one designer I’m really excited to see debut is Masha Ma. Park & Cube did a really cool piece on her upcoming SS collection and Fashion 156 gave us a preview of what’s to come.

Check out Masha Ma’s official website , the Blog, Facebook, and Twitter … Park & Cube for a behind the scenes look at her collection and Fashion156 for impeccable style.

Top image: Fashion156 Stop by for awesome LFW previews
Bottom image: Shini from Park & Cube Check out her site. She is giving away two seats to Masha Ma’s show this Saturday!!

I know how many e-mails, coffees, phone calls and drinks I owe people… Ugh. I need an intern!! More later.

Jak and Jill Blog

style.com

Blank Net knee high socks

Maria Bonita Extra 

Didn’t we see a lot of tights with sandals in 2006? Anyway, just wondering what you think about this look. I am on the fence… I actually think the socks with tights (like MBE, last picture) is kind of hot. I also like the mixed patterns in the image from Style.com.

Still blah… in the meantime, enjoy a designer who is anything but, the ultra-talented Laura Theiss!

(Above: the set up, the view, born to fit (yes, all of my friends are absolutely gorgeous!)…)

I’ve been so busy since I got back from girl’s weekend that I haven’t had a second to post… sorry! Add to that the fact I can’t find my camera charger (I think I may have left it on the shore) and you can understand my absence from my beloved UrbanSocialite. Anyway, I was able to retrieve a few pictures from this past weekend (a few of which are post-worthy, the others you will have to find on facebook) and figured I’ll share now and add more when I find my charger (you would think that plugging the camera into my computer would be enough power to start it up… but alas).

Anyway, 12 of us left Boston Friday afternoon for a little R&R and Kate’s beach house in CT. Needless to say it was absolutely gorgeous and much needed rest for everyone. I was cautiously pleased when Christine from Brand About Town offered to let my amis try Gap’s new Born to Fit line. I say cautiously because I adore my friends, but they can be super picky when it comes to their clothes….

The weekend was perfect. On Saturday we laid in the sun all day, fired up the grill at night, and with the help of Kristen’s set-up skills, I surprised everyone with a cute little spread of jeans and goodies for desert. I have to say everyone loved them…although there was a little tug-of-war for the size 4′s which went the fastest. Personally, I liked the sexy boot, but the super-skinnys seemed to be the biggest hit. I think the general consensus was that they would look scrumptious with all of those great over-the-knee boots this fall. Even Miss Erika found a pair she liked, and if I recall she wore them out that night (a night that ended with about 18 people crammed in a little boat floating around the harbor… but I digress). What I like best about the jeans is the fit… my friends and I all have really different bodies, but the same size fit each of us really well… unlike some other jeans that require a certain body shape to look best, you know what I mean?

Anyway, it just occurred to me as I’m writing this, that it’s pretty rude of me to write about a party that you weren’t even invited to! How will I ever make it up to you? With a free pair of Gap jeans of course!

CONTEST

Gap’s new line is called “Born to Fit,” and I’m wondering, my dear Urban Socialites, what were you born to do? If you can sum it up and inspire me, I’ll send you a gift certificate (it can only be used in-store) for a free pair of Gap 1969 jeans! Yay!

Include the following in your entry:

Name:

Address:

What you were born to do: (you can include pictures, links, etc. to illustrate your point).

Send entries to: I Was Born To…

I’ll run the contest through September 1 (back to school and all)…. I will post the winning entry on the site… and maybe a few others.

Bon chance!

I hope you are outside enjoying this gorgeous weekend! I have been super busy lately which is really no excuse not to update the site. Next week should be a little bit easier to deal with than last, and I have an inbox brimming full with great new designers to share. Today’s featured line is KayLim Designs from LA. In her own words:

I began designing a collection that unites my fervor for all things fashionable along with my love of art. Having a degree in Fine Art; creativity has been the central theme in my life. My inspirations range from historical art to classic cinema. The resulting line bespeaks old world glamour with a neo-modern twist. Historical influences emanate from a world of rich costume heritage translated into modern day fabric and materials. Some of my finished garments have a vintage look about them, but they’re also fresh and crisp, with special attention to unique stitchwork.
I–firmly–believe that one’s genuine art or creativity can never be mass produced since the artist imparts a different unique statement to each creative effort.

My signature look includes irregular hemline; decolorized or hand-died fabric; and all pieces are constructed from a combination of fabrics and at times with just a hint of Far East tones.

I love her unique look and attention to detail! The best part is, you have the option of requesting a custom item! Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!
When I was a kid this used to be one of my favorite holidays. My mom always went the extra mile with my costumes… and I definitely “assumed the role” of whatever I dressed up on any given year. It was an awesome transformation. I guess things don’t really change that much when you get older… I mean… doesn’t the thug feel more like a thug when he puts on baggy jeans, a white-t and a hoodie? Doesn’t the socialite feel more like a socialite when she puts on her Louboutins and her DVF? And doesn’t the goth kid feel more deviant when he runs the gel through his hair and paints his fingernails black?
We all have who we are… and then we have who we present to society. Sometimes they’re one and the same… but more often than not, I think, we augment that perception with the way we dress. The simplest choice in outfit can be the difference between “she looks respectful” and “she looks like a…. woman of loose morals” or “he looks approachable” and “I don’t even want to ride on the same subway car as that guy.”

I mean, when you really think about it… more than just about anything, the way you chose to present yourself (a large part of that being how you dress) determines how people are going to perceive, interact, and sadly, in some cases, judge you. In turn, those interactions are going to have an effect on you… like they way you end up seeing yourself and the way you end up feeling about yourself on a given day… or about yourself in general.  It almost begs the question… what came first? Who you are or who you chose to present?

Hmmm… I kind of went off there didn’t I? I have a little Tobin bridge road trip I have to prepare for so I guess I’ll have to finish this thought later.
Before I go, I thought I’d leave you with fashion-favorite Kevan Hall. Always putting his signature look ahead of the trends, this natural-born designer creates gorgeous gowns you are sure to love! About KH:

Detroit-born Kevan Hall’s fashion creativity emerged early. By the age of seven, he knew he wanted to be a fashion designer. After attending Cass Technical High School in Detroit, where he studied fashion design, he won first place as “Designer of Tomorrow” – a scholarship sponsored by the Los Angeles-based Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. While studying in California, he made a vision-enhancing trip to Europe, where at the houses of Cardin, Dior and most notably, Givenchy his lifelong love of luxury and haute couture was once again sparked. Upon graduation from the Fashion Institute, he received the Peacock Award for “Outstanding Fashion Design”.

In 1982, Hall with his wife and partner, Deborah launched Kevan Hall Couture. His collection melded a more relaxed couture look with sensible pricing that pleased retailers like Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, I. Magnin and other fine stores nationwide.

Hall was nominated in 1988 by fashion retailers and the press as one of California’s Top Designers. In 1989, he was not only included in the “Soul on Seventh Avenue” show sponsored by Fairchild Publications, but was also chosen by the NAACP to receive their “Great American Designer” award. In 1990, his participation in the national Absolut Vodka campaign featured in Vanity Fair underscored his broad-based appeal. In 1992, he was honored by the Center of Performing Arts in Southern California with a 10-year fashion retrospective. For many, this would be a career capper. For Hall, it was only a stepping stone as he branched out into motion pictures, acting as costume consultant on 1997’s “Gridlock” and “Eve’s Bayou” (the most successful independent film of the year).

Redefining glamour for a new generation is an interpretive art. Redefining the hallowed house of Halston into the next millennium was an even more challenging task. But Kevan Hall–who stepped into the prestigious position of Design and Creative Director from fall 1998 – spring 2000 revived the dormant brand to its former glory. His sleek eveningwear was worn by a distinguished coterie of celebrated artists- including Celine Dion, Sharon Stone, Angela Bassett, Charlize Theron, and Salma Hayek.

In 2002, he launched his own signature, Kevan Hall Collection with a fashion philosophy that emphasizes purity of style, incomparable tailoring and sensuously draped streamlined silhouettes; Hall has a natural design sense of sophisticated elegance and uncluttered modern design. Hall’s designs have been embraced by fashion retailers and the press. In 2001, Absolut Vodka honored Hall by showcasing his spring collection in their “Tribute to African Designers” worldwide tour. His lovely atelier in Los Angeles was featured in the July 2002 issue of Interior Design magazine. It confirmed his keen eye for design and impeccable color sense. Also in 2002, Hall won the 47th Annual Gold Coast Fashion Award in Chicago as “Designer of the Year”. In 2005, Hall was awarded “Stylemaker of the Year” by Life & Style Magazine for his ‘drop-dead glamour’ as seen on the red carpet with Felicity Huffman, Vivica A. Fox, Virginia Madsen, Garcelle Beauvais, Debra Messing and Renee Zellweger.

Hall has made guest appearances on national TV shows such as Inside Edition, The Better Half, SoapTalk, the Jane Pauley Show and Extreme Makeover where he discussed fashion‘s current trends. He has given lectures at the Norman Lear Center of the University of Southern California and for the Costume Council at the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art on his inspirations and influences when designing his collection.

With his own Signature collection, his philosophy of fashion has remained true to those early days. “I enjoy the process of design from concept to execution,” he states. “But the most gratifying part is seeing a design come to life on a beautiful woman.” Rejecting trends and fads in favor of a lasting signature look, Hall’s hallmark of glamour with a modern sensibility is a priceless gift to the welcoming world.