Designer Spotlight: Rowenazita

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Rowenazita Designs is a clothing line focused on one-of-a-kind pieces, custom work and upcycling. The idea for Rowenazita began when designer Shireen Dickson, a dancer, needed clothing that would work for class or performance, but could then be worn for the rest of the day without looking like a cast member from Fame or Flashdance. Shireen started creating her own dance clothing as an alternative to sweats, moved on to making a few pieces for friends, and a star clothing line was born! The collection consists of dresses, jumpsuits, and outerwear, and is designed to allow maximum movement and comfort, without sacrificing fashion.

Mondo Guerro T Shirts To Benefit amfAR

 

Project Runway finalist Mondo Guerra has teamed up with Piperlime to create two T-Shirts to benefit amfAR, The Foundation For AIDS Research. The limited edition shirts go on sale today, and I suggest you hurry as only 300 of each style were produced.

According to Piperlime “The designs infuse Mondo's bold style and energetic graphics with his "Live and Love" passion.  The designs are printed on Nation LTD T-shirts and will be sold for $50.00 on piperlime.com starting December 1, 2010 in conjunction with World AIDS Day.  Twenty dollars of every T-shirt sold will be donated to amfAR an organization devoted to ending the global AIDS epidemic through innovative research.”

Though some may question the appropriateness of the "Day of the Dead" skull in this case, both designs are really cool, and it is for a good cause. You do have gifts to buy, don't you? 

Those of you who aren't lucky enough to score one of these shirts, can still make a donation here

Lanvin for H&M - How to Survive.

this season's new "it" bag

Today's the big day; after several months of epic promotion Lanvin for H&M has hit the stores. Here in NYC, hundreds of people have lined up, many overnight to be among the first to get their hands on the highly anticipated collection. 


Those of us who have braved these frenzied launches in the past know it can be a harrowing experience (I was nearly killed in a stampede at Commes Des Garcons in 2008!), so here are some tips that should help you get out alive.


The H&M website has published a tutorial detailing the rules they have setup to try to control the crowd. Basically, it goes like this: 

• The first 320 shoppers in line will be split into 16 groups of 20. 
• Each group gets a different color bracelet with a corresponding time slot and will be allowed into the store at the designated time, to shop for 15 minutes. 
• There's no queue system for men. (tip: some of the men's items are unisex enough to work for women, so don't overlook them)
• There is a two-item maximum per product
• After the first 320 are finished shopping, the doors will open for the rest of the public. Do the math here - 16 groups at 15 minutes each works out to 4 hours of waiting minimum.

Just like sample sales, there are a few basic other tips to consider in order to score the most stuff.

• Wear something comfortable that you can quickly throw the clothes over, such as leggings and a thin top. Wear shoes you can quickly kick off and step into, without wasting time lacing up. Don't wear belts or jewelry because they will just get in your way
• Ditch the purse if possible. You really just need id, your credit card, phone and keys. Remember that H&M does not take American Express!
• "Discarded" items can be your best scores! Don't overlook the stuff thrown on the floor of the dressing rooms, the staff won't have time to restock during the frenzy. 
• Be nice to your fellow shoppers, if they change their mind about something, they may pass it off to you. Be even nicer to the staff, they are totally miserable right now. By commiserating with them, you can get the inside scoop on any plans to restock or they might hook you up.
• Gather first, edit later.
• Eat something before you go. Low blood sugar is not your friend in this situation.
• A few days after the first opening, people often return things they didn't have time to try on or think about carefully, so its worth going back for a second look.

Tear Sheet: Lanvin for H&M Debuts Tomorrow!

OMG! OMFG!!! 

Its almost time! Lanvin's collection for H&M is hitting the stores tomorrow and the interwebs is abuzz with sneak peeks of the goods. All indications are that this one is not going to disappoint !


Prices run the gamut from $9.99 for a lipstick to $349 for a coat, which seems to indicate the fabrications and construction should be quite a step up for the chain. According to one lucky writer from BlackBook "After attending a preview of the collection and being able to eyeball every ruffle and seam, I must say I am impressed" 


The official Lookbook with prices and full ad campaign is available here, and check out a few  "unofficial" photos after the jump !

"I want Lanvin - Not Flowers!"

Oh My God! Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably seen this video promoting Lanvin's new collection for H&M. The collection looks just as good as we'd hoped it would be, especially the dresses and shoes. "Lanvin heart H&M" hits stores November 20th, and won't last long. It seems the women's line is pretty dressy (perfect for those holiday parties!), while the men's line is slightly more casual. 


If you want to see more, Fashionologie has the full lookbook, including prices.

DIY Denim

Here's something from the "I can't believe they invented it" category - a kit to distress your own jeans. The manufacturer's website proudly exclaims "Scouring the runways and streets, Bristols 6 assembled the best tricks and techniques to attain designer-inspired distressed denim without the price tag". Right...


The kit includes scissors, safety pins, a bleach pen, stencils, and studs, among other things. It sells for $32, or about the price of having two pair professionally hemmed at the dry cleaners.


While we are big fans of personalizing ( or as my mother says "ruining!" ) our own jeans, we can't quite wrap our heads around why anyone would need to buy a special kit to do so. Would you spend your cash on this ?

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Love,
Diana