paule marrot + hayden-harnett

YUM YUM, I love the Hayden-Harnett Paule Marrot editions. This bag, the Beatrice, works because it’s structured but playful. I like how it has a French feel to it; it makes me think of tiny little south-of-France towns where all the women have enviably glowy skin and look foxy even though they’re wearing boring flats. Coming from less aristocratic Euro-stock, I may not be able to pull off those gifts, but I could pull off this bag. I just need to unearth more than half my rent money first. >> Hayden-Harnett

collection of style: h&m’s new brand

The other day I was in H&M wondering when their prices became comparable to what boutique prices were just a few years ago. I mean, really, $59.90 for a polyester dress? From H&M?

The prices are going up even more at Collection of Style, H&M’s new store concept. The first store opens this spring in London, and 10 stores will follow in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and elsewhere in the UK. I’m imagining COS will be similar to Zara in price and quality; much higher than that and you’ll send shoppers to boutiques (because, really, if you’re going to spend $125 on a shirt, why not spend $150 for one that’s made better?). I’m looking forward to seeing its first line, and though I thought I’d sworn off London town for at least five years, I now have a flimsy excuse to hop into Heathrow… let us hope that COS is no POS.

In other H&M news, they’re launching a home collection and shoes for spring. Home will be online-only for a while, and shoes will be in 200 stores.

blind item

WHICH women’s fashion e-commerce site is rumored to be purchasing a rival site, also from the Midwest? The buyer has a veritable river of financial backing, so the end result could become a behemoth in the world of online boutiquing.

(I feel so Liz Smith!)

attention label whores: the prada mobile phone has landed!

This, my friends, is the Prada mobile phone. Like Apple’s iPhone, it has a touch screen. Unlike the iPhone, though, it will make you look like an a-hole of the highest degree. Can you imagine seeing someone whip this thing out? I would wonder whether this person had been adequately nurtured as a child. What else would compel you to buy a phone with a brand name emblazoned on its front?

built by wendy’s troll shoes

So you know Chloe, the most annoying character in 24? My partner and I are horrible, shallow people who can’t see her without thinking of a troll (or, if we’re feeling more generous, a Keebler elf). We have this whole going in which we crouch down, curl our index and middle fingers, and scrunch up our face, and gurgle, “Troll! Troll! TROLL!” Yes, we are both mature and romantic.
Anyway, we’ve been thinking of taking our trolling to the next level. And that requires outfits. Luckily for us, Built By Wendy has a new shoe line for spring:

Which is good, because I have been hoping for a Smeagol-esque footwear choice that also makes me look like a Joanna Newsom backup dancer.

eskell: a treat from chicago

When it comes to American style, most people look to New York, then Los Angeles (pronounced Frank Black style, natch) and then… well, nowhere. But every now and then, you find a small designer whose work is so good, you think, “Man, if this were in New York, it would be hot-shit stuff written up in Nylon.”

Such is the case with Eskell, a Chicago-based duo that creates some charmingly girly, vintage-inspired clothing. And I don’t mean that in a weirdly juvenile Mooka Kinney way—Eskell’s stuff isn’t going to look ridiculous on someone who’s older than 24. The designers have worked at Mayle and Miguelina, and so they’ve got that whole cool-girl-who’s-still-a-lady thing going on. Plus, they’ve had fashion shows in a bowling alley—how can you not dig that? Have a look at Eskell.com.

proenza schouler for target: pictures and strategy

The Target near me is rumored to be the busiest in the nation (it’s also rumored to be the one that brings the biggest revenues). So when the Go International stuff hits, the best items are gone within a day of hitting the racks. This is why I’m buying my Proenza Schouler stuff online. Today. Weeks before the launch. And here’s how you can do it, too:

1. Go to Shoplocal.com and search for Proenza Schouler. You might get one or two fancy items from Neimanmarcus.com, but most will be from Target.com. Don’t bother searching on Target.com, as the items don’t show up in search results yet.

2. Click the links to go to the Target site. Last week, the images weren’t up, but they are now, so you can see what you’re looking for. Add the items you want to your cart.

3. Here’s the thing: the items aren’t in stock yet, but you can still buy them now. So when they’re in stock, they’ll be sent to you… before the other Proenza vultures can buy the stuff online in February.

4. This is the nicest part: use code TCMRSJFJ and you’ll get 10% off your order.

From what I’ve heard, the line is running small, which isn’t surprising since much of it is being marketed toward juniors. Most of the items on Target.com are not the same that were shown in the press kit, which is a nice surprise. Take a look at some of my favorites after the jump. (Update: Target has caught on and no longer has the PS pieces up!)

endless yawn

Amazon has launched its own answer to Gap’s answer to Zappos.com. It’s called Endless.com, which is a pretty good name for a site that has a limitless selection of shoes. Except Endless.com doesn’t. It’s just getting started, so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt, but the brands are pretty run-of-the-mill names that you could find at the mall*: Enzo Angiolini, Doc Martens, Keds, Charles David and so on. Also, if you search by brand, the results are displayed horizontally — the worst!

What I do like, however, is the ability to narrow selections by color and width just by clicking a button. The price slider is nice, too. But I doubt I’ll ever shop here.

* I assume. I have been to a mall only once since 2002, but these names are all very mall-ish. Even when I was growing up in the Midwest, you could get Docs.

worst designer label names

Rice & Beans
Great. You know what rice and beans makes me think of? No, not nutritionally complete vegan protein. It makes me think of farting. And when I see yet another t-shirt line with doofus quips on them, I want to fart on the shirts.

Chulo Pony
Chulo makes me think of culo, which is Spanish for ass. Which makes me think of the Ass Ponys, which in turn reminds me of how terrible the early 90s could be for music.

Bonnie Heart Clyde
Sometime during the last five years, schools apparently stopped teaching verbs. How else to explain the use of “heart” as a verb that replaces “loves”?

Hoss
No explanation needed.

The Color Mustard
This would work only if it were a Clue-themed collection designed by Alice Walker.

2007’s fashion predictions

While batty Pat Robertson is busy spreading the messages he’s allegedly received from the good lord, I’m spreading the messages I’ve developed in my noggin. And here they are, my very exciting predictions for 2007: