I love Chicago, I love New York, and I love Boston (to name a few). I would like to express my adoration for these cities without looking like I just came out of an ad for the local tourism department. What I love about Festa Tees is that they are geographically stylish and I actually wear them all the time, with confidence and with style.

Festa Tees have a feel of vintage cotton and a look of chic simplicity. The Keep it Brooklyn shirt celebrates the slimy, greasy, messy and delicious slices of pizza that puts Brooklyn on the map. Local laugh and they get it. When my friend wears her Minnesota: Bring a Coat shirt, she’s had comments such as “You’re damn right bring a coat” OR “Bring 3 coats!” People bond over the characteristics of their neighborhood or state. In Rhode Island, everyone references the giant bug on RT 95- it’s a landmark, a part of the state that makes it RI! (Which is sad because it’s the mascot for a pest control company.

Anyway, I digress. The concept behind the tees is not tourist paraphernalia. These are tees for the locals, who get the jokes, and can relate with the slogans. If you live in New Jersey, you would appreciate the Self Service is for Suckers design, because New Jersey says no to Self Service gas. And poor Seattle, everyone thinks of them as the grunge state, but Festa gets you and that’s why they have Seattle Girl: Do I look like I used to play in a grunge band???” You are not alone Seattle, you are not alone.

So toss all your ideas of what Festa Tees is, and understand that these tees are for you, the locals. Log onto ShopFesta.com to find your perfect match.

Posted: July 29th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

I have written in this blog about how I adore Gen Art and everything it stands for. It’s a wonderful platform for new talent and a great resource for people interested in things below the radar. Gen Art Pulse is a popular newsletter and section of Gen Art that features even smaller and more obscure designers, movies, art and music than the larger Gen Art organization. When Gen Art stands by a new trend, it usually is available to the consumer market at that time, Gen Art Pulse gets down on the ground level and it’s a little more about “what you WILL be seeing” rather than “what we are seeing now.”

Caroline Stanley runs the Gen Art Pulse section and she writes about everything from new small bands, to designers who sell in only a handful of stores, and movies with small budget but big potential. I sat down with Caroline at Elmo’s on 7^th ave last week and asked her all about Pulse.

Kickin Kate: So, what is Gen Art and Gen Art Pulse?

Caroline Stanley: Gen Art has been around for thirteen years and the idea is they are making emerging talent accessible to everyone. The categories are Film, Music, Art and Fashion. We are trying to find people before they are discovered by big galleries, before movies are going to show at your local Cineplex or before you will find them at Barneys, you will see them at Gen Art. The idea of Pulse is to even be a few steps before that. For example, in order for a designer to show in a Gen Art event, they have to be available for people to buy. With Pulse, it can even be more grass roots and I say “you are going to be hearing about this designer so keep your eyes peeled.”

KK: Before you worked at Pulse, did you have any other editorial background?

CS: Yes, right from college I worked at Ladies’ Home Journal and I was an assistant in to their Entertainment Director. So a big part of my job was helping her book covers and when you are that age and you are working with people like Shania Twain and meeting all of these agents, it’s fun and exciting. After that I was at Twist magazine, which was a hilarious experience and I loved it. I was the beauty editor and was in charge of 20 pages a month that I produced content for. So even though it was a magazine for teenagers, it was all stuff I hadn’t done before and it was so fun! I interviewed people like Kelly Clarkson and Hillary Duff which was fun; I was around 23 but still had an adolescent flare which I could indulge in because I was working at a teen magazine. And right before Pulse I was at Quick & Simple as an Associate Editor there covering Health. So, I have had editorial experience, but working at Pulse has been so fun and I feel so lucky to be able to write about things I do.

KK: Because these designers, films and musicians are so unheard of, how do you find them?

CS: You know, a lot of it is talking to the people at Gen Art, talking to the different programming heads and asking who is exciting for them right now. A lot of it is also staying in contact with people I have written about and asking if they have any friends who I should know about. The coolest thing that happened recently was that I was shopping downtown and I went into a boutique and began chatting with the owner. That is a great way to get leads and I am able to ask them who they are most excited about. This particular boutique owner was talking about a line I had never heard of which was great for Pulse.

KK:When you are trying to find content for Pulse, are you looking for things you like in particular or is it a search for something that others would like.

CS: The barometer isn’t always music or fashion that I am into, rather do I know someone who would be into it. Even though Gen Art has Avante Garde and fashion shows, on Pulse I try to make sure its all wearable. I feel like if people can’t wear it, then it’s alienating and I don’t want that for my readers.

KK: It is alienating and makes it hard for people to get excited about new fashion when it doesn’t seem like something we could wear. I think its great that you are choosing collections that would fit easily in our closets.

KK:Once you decide who or what your subject is, how do you get in touch with them?

CS:Well, because we are finding these people when what they are doing isn’t yet a major movement, they are usually happy to talk with us. For instance, when I interviewed Ellen Page from Juno, it was such a small movie and Gen Art was doing an advance screening so we already were already talking to Fox Searchlight. I wanted to talk to her because after I saw the movie I knew she would be huge, so I made sure we set that up. The majority of people who find out what Gen Art does, are more than happy to talk with us because we have the non profit side which we are always giving money to film makers and designers. Once they hear about that they are more than happy to talk to me even if they are bigger celebrities. Gen Art has been around for thirteen years, we have some amazing alumni like Zac Posen who remember Gen Art fondly because that’s a big part of where they started.

KK: I love that Zac Posen was a member of Gen Art. He has done so well and continues to blow me away with his design. I think all of you at Gen Art have such good taste and do a great job with trends and pointing us in the right fashion direction.

KK: Ok, so indulge me in some of your favorite subjects so far. New designers you can share?

CS: There is a piece I just put up today about this new shoe line out of Australia. I was down at Pixie Market in the lower east side and the owner told me about this line called Mogil; its been around in Australia for about ten years and they are having their US debut down at Pixie Market. Their collection is so cute and more than that they are affordable. You can get a pair of shoes for around $150 and I think most people reading Pulse could swing that. And that’s important to me. Anytime I can find something new and fresh that isn’t crazy expensive and wont scare people away, I like to mention it in pulse.

KK: And music? Anyone special you think we should check out?

CS:I actually just interviewed Adele, she’s a singer/ songwriter from the UK and I <!–[endif]–>think she’s going to be a big deal here. She is already big there and slowly making her mark in the US. That was so fun because she is a superstar there but not yet here.

KK:Movies?

CS:There’s one I saw about a month ago and I think its coming out in August called Towel Head. It’s a really cool and weird story about a foreign girl who gets sent to live with her father in some Texas town. The locals aren’t quite sure how to treat her. She is also thirteen and is going through adolescence as well as being a new place and trying to adjust. It’s dark, funny and smart and almost reminds me of American Beauty. I also saw Choke which was amazing and I think its coming out in Late July. And also Frozen River is a small movie about smuggling people over the border in upstate NY from Canada. I highly recommend all of those movies. I love seeing movies that I get excited about and to talk about it after and share it with others.

KK:I agree and that sounds like such a fun job! And on those same lines, do you have a favorite part of your job?

CS:Its definitely when I get to interview people. It doesn’t even matter who it is, just when I am talking to someone who is super excited about what they are doing and there is something about that that is just so contagious. I get excited for them because I know something cool is happening.

KK:I agree, its an amazing feeling to be part of something that others are excited about. Gen Art Pulse comes right into your inbox and keeps you posted on all things Music, Fashion, Art and Film. Go to www.genartpulse.com to get your edition and to see what Caroline thinks is worth your time.

Posted: July 2nd, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

I love DailyCandy.com.   Well, I should say I love Daily Candy now because to be honest, I used to despise that informative and all-knowing newsletter. As a PR professional, I constantly run into clients who long to be reviewed on  Daily Candy.  At first it was a puzzle to me and I was blown away that just a small mention could shut down websites from heavy ordering, literally.   And so a few years ago it also became my goal to get my clients into Daily Candy.  But it started seeming impossible because nowhere on their site was their direct contact information. The only sign of contact was an online form that go directly into the dark, deep , black abyss.  

So I grew this resentment against Daily Candy and decided they had no place in my world. And as my resentment grew, so did their popularity. Every client I was meeting with wanted Daily Candy.   I had to admit their reviews of new fashion lines, sample sale listings and beauty products did start to win me over. So on one hand I hated them and on the other, I loved them.  I was torn.

As the moral person that I am, I decided to give DC another chance and go at it another angle.   Somehow over the last couple of years I was able to get the information for some of the regional editors. I wont give away my secrets, because I was pained for so long about it! Every time I found out an email for one of them, it was like I had hit the lottery! 

I pitched them many times and I do admire their strictness on not just letting anyone into their world. But my clients were special and I was going to prove it! So, I kept pushing until one day I got a response from the Chicago editor about one of my client’s tote bags with a Chicago theme. They loved it, wanted more info and posted it right around Christmas. Orders came in and the designer was thrilled! Then the same designer came out with an LA bag, and I sent that over to the LA editor who loved it, wanted more info and posted it!  And again, orders came in.

I have to hand it to them; they have a lot of pull, these very chic and select writers. They know what’s hot and they know what’s been done. I feel like we could all be friends because we share similar goals; to find and spread new stories and ideas. Now I love Daily Candy and I can honestly say that the editors I have worked with are truly sweet like the candy they love.

Posted: June 17th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

As you may know, when I am not writing about fashion and interviewing designers, I also have a little gig on the side ( and on the side I mean it is my first born) called Kick Public Relations. At Kick PR we work with rising designers in accessories and apparel, and we leave the door open anything else that seems new and fresh.

Fashion and trends are constantly changing ( see JC Report post for more on trends) and everyday a designer is born with new ideas and a fresh outlook. They are born at FIT, they are born at the High School Theater Dept, and they are even born in their basements with moms old sewing machine. When it comes to fashion, anyone can give it a shot.

At Kick PR, the clients we represent are new, excited about what they do, and of course talented. We also will only work with them if we would buy it , wear it, gift it to our best friend, or just have it hang so perfectly in our closet to make all of the other garments jealous. How can we be expected to be excited about something when we just aren’t? We are PR professionals, not actors.

So, it’s June and our client roster is just SO fun that I had to write about it in Kickn’it. First up are some fabulous and funky belts by designer Ann Lansing. Before I met with Annie, I owned three belts; one was holding up my closet rack and the other two made an appearance only in the house, I never felt comfortable enough to wear it actually out in public. Annie’s belts changed my life, and my pants couldn’t be happier. The straps are all made with Italian leather and are reversible. Having a reversible belt isn’t something I ever thought of and once I had the option of red or black, my wardrobe was pleasantly surprised. All of her buckles are interchangeable and hand crafted. There are six buckle collections with classic styles like Zen, Gate, Snowflake, Bird, and Wave. The true test was the first time I wore one was out with my boyfriend, who mind you wouldn’t notice if my dad and I changed heads. He actually commented “Hey, nice belt, where is that from?” I called Annie right away with the news; for any woman, this is a success! To view the entire collection, log onto www.annlansing.com or check out Bendels Trunk Show calendar for her appearances! And as I mentioned before, if we wont wear it or gift it, its not for us and giving three belts to my sister for her birthday states my case.

Next up is Tashka by Beatrice. When I saw this jewelry I knew I needed to somehow be part of it. Beatrice Matiash, the designer, is a gemstone genius. Her necklaces come in a variety of lengths and styles such as the very popular lariats, single long chain and cluster drops. Everything is delicate but makes such a statement with clusters of pearls, turquoise, quartz, onyx and so many other stones I didn’t even know existed! When I wear the single strands, people literally come up to me and touch it and pull. They LOVE it! I imagine that’s what it’s like when you are pregnant, people just want to touch. Recently she launched the Lucky Penny necklace which was a huge hit with Us Weekly and Lucky. It’s a simple statement piece that works well with so many different style preferences.

Inderjeet and Sonali Singh contacted me a few months ago in regards to PR for their new collection, San & Soni. You have to understand, I meet with a lot of designers and while some are generally nice and well done, most are just not that exciting. When I saw this collection, I decided that I would do whatever it takes to work with with them ( except sell my dog Elton- never!). What we have here is gorgeous design, immaculate detail like delicate pleats and unique detailed trims. Everything in this collection has a space in my closet ( and if I had the budget for it, I would have bought everything up at first site. ) Some pieces I like to highlight are the paper bag waist bubble shorts. These shorts need nothing but a simple tank and heels; leave the rest to the shorts. I wore these last week and was literally stopped on the street a few times and asked where they were from. For Fall 08, styles include bell jar shape dresses, pleated flowing blouses, slim pants with slouchy waists ( this is a great look, check out how they look in the image), and oversized triangle design knit blouses. Some fabrics incorporated into the collection are wool jersey, metallic foil printed jersey, double georgette and silk habotai. It’s all just so exciting for us to work with such talented designers.

JoomiNYC is just so fun and comes just in time for the Gossip Girl trend of headbands and hairpieces. I used to cringe at headbands, because all through my high school years and my twenties, the styles were ugly and always, ALWAYS gave me headaches. I don’t know if its just that I have a weird shaped head and where the headband hits sends signals to my brain that says “OOOUCH TAKE IT OFF!” So, I have been hesitant to wear one to say the least. Joomi’s headbands work for me and I really really love them. We actually just met with the editor of People and OK! magazine who swooned over her designs. The way I see it, it’s a simple accessory done right. Lightweight fabric but lined with light boning so it stays in place and fits right on your head.

So, that’s enough from me. I am always searching for new designers and it’s exciting to come across talent, like Julianna Bass in my last interview. Tips are always welcome, I’m at kate@Kickpr.com

Happy Fashion!

Posted: June 6th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Kick’n It Interviews: Jason Campbell of JC Report

Where does a trend come from? While many people just follow them, others wonder why all of the sudden everyone is wearing leg warmers. Aside from the hunch that everyone just happened to watch old episodes of Square Peg on the same day, it seems to come out of nowhere. But this is so not true, and to dive more into the world of fashion trend casting, I thought I would talk with trendcaster extraordinaire Jason Campbell, founder and head writer of JC Report (www.jcreport.com ).

I met Jason at Emilio’s Ballato on Houston and Mott to indulge in some amazing Italian food and fashion secrets. We talked a bit about city living, world travel (more him than me) and the weather. I find him so fun and interesting and could have talked with him for hours about simple things like the beauty of waking up early and getting a good night sleep. After our introductory chit chat, I got right into it and asked him to tell me all there is to know about international fashion trends:

Kick’n Kate: So Jason, when was the JC Report started and why?

Jason: JC Report started in 2002 and came out of a column I did for Magic online ( for those who may not know, MAGIC is the fashion industries leading trade show). Trend Cast was my column and it was targeted to vendors at the show to guide them and give them cues for their upcoming seasons. Eventually, Magic changed and I wanted to continue my voice so I decided to start JC Report. There was a need for this type of trend casting and I found that global information was the wave of the future and the internet was going to be a very useful tool for this type of reporting.

With the internet you are connecting cultures and there are no boundaries any longer. So I wanted to let people know what was going on in international regions such as Australia, Brazil, Berlin and so on and the internet has been a wonderful tool for this.

K: You must get to see so much great talent and design all over the world!

J: Yes so much! There’s talent abroad that is so amazing and fresh but people aren’t reaching for it; so not many people get exposed to such things.

K: In the newsletter and on the site, you report on the trends all over the globe which made me wonder are you doing all of this traveling or are their JC Report informants?

J: It was really important for me to go at first and get that initial information. I was able to go to those cities that I felt were emerging markets and I needed to go detect it myself. As the business grows it’s important to have a network worldwide to help. With all of my traveling, I developed this network by identifying people who can seek out that information and feed it back.

K:From all of your travels and research, can you tell us where trends start?

J:Trends are not scientific. You know, war can spawn particular trends in terms of how people want to dress. And the internet, that is like a behemoth of a thing that is going to spawn some trends. Then, there are more organic trends that are coming from the streets, and in that you have those individual trendsetters that really change things up and those kinds of people move trends forward. So, I say that trends really percolate from a variety of sources. Part of my work is that I try to detect very early on and forecast very early on when you see something what that may spawn. There are some formulas that you can use to detect, but also things just come out of nowhere.

K: Im sure you have seen some fabulous trends and some hideous trends. And I can only imagine how many designers you come in contact with through your travels. Can you tell me about some of your favorite designers?

J:I have many favorites and there are many brands around the globe that I continue to champion. One of them is the designer of this scarf I am wearing (I had scarf envy the minute he walked in- check it out on the photo of Jason) called Material By-Product(www.materialbyproduct.com) which is a design team out of Melbourne who are all professors at a University. I have been trumpeting their work locally in Australia, speaking with editors and trying to bring attention to their work. There is also there is another line out of Australia called Basek who makes amazing tee shirts that are really well done, very cool and extremely approachable. And I’m like why aren’t these people blowing up all over the world? And Isabella Capetto(www.isabelacapeto.com), who I really love- it’s a brand like that is not exposed expect for in Brazil. Same with Francesca Giobbi (www.francescagiobbi.com.br )who makes the most AMAZING shoes (she used to work at Prada) but can’t seem to break out worldwide and we ask ourselves “why are these designers not getting the exposure they definitely deserve?”

K: I am so glad you brought this up, because I wonder why it’s so hard for such talented smaller designers to break through the barrier. Why do you think it’s so hard for new designs to get recognition in the US?

J:Fashion is a club. The gates are only opened to those very sanctioned people and they have criteria’s for that. A lot also has to do with relationships and less on talent. As well, I find that a lot of editors don’t want to work so hard and go off script to find new stories and they don’t want to dig. And they don’t have to, they stay with the usually suspects and can do that.

K: Right, because things are placed in front of them like fashion weeks and showrooms, it’s much easier to work with what’s in front of them. That’s not to say this is the way it is with every editor, but for the ones who seem to have influence…

K:Can we expect a JC Report magazine?

J: I would love to do this, but not a monthly and I think it would be more special issues and curate issues for other entities. You know, JC Report is such a trusted voice that we are in a position to market any to curate different things for other properties and that really interests me. We can customize different content for different channels.

K:Thanks Jason so much and I look forward to the JC Report newsletter every month, because I sure dont have the time to follow trends, so I need someone like you to tell me!

Posted: May 27th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 1

I can’t begin to express my adoration for Gen Art. Simply put, Gen Art is a platform for new talent; whether it is music, art, film or fashion Gen Art is there to push out into the world new and talented people. Being that I work in fashion, I tend to follow the fashion events such as Fresh Faces in Fashion, SHOP Gen Art and Styles. Last night was the 10th Anniversary of the International Design Awards and Runway Show (aka Styles).

In short, Styles works like this: designers from all over the

world submit designs to get accepted into the Styles show. There are six categories to be considered which are accessories, ready-to-wear, evening wear, menswear, Avant Garde and all over design. Five designers compete in each category showing two of their top pieces. So that’s thirty designers total that are entered into the program. It was announced last night by Lee Trimble, Fashion Director at Gen Art, that there were 850 applicants from 35 states and 30 countries. In addition to being known as a Gen Art winner, each winning designer recieves $5000 and one category recieves $10,000- ka ching!

So i went last night after work and waited in line for about 30 minutes to get in. I cant express how much i hate waiting in line, but I must get used to this because I am just Kate Sullivan of Kick PR- your average Jane. After getting my ticket, I went right up to my nose bleed section, sat down and waited for the show to start. No joke, nosebleed. It said on my ticket “Second Balcony” but it should have said “Bring Tissues, There Will Be Nosebleeds Where You Are Going” But I wasn’t alone and was so pleasantly surprised to see such a turnout for the support of emerging fashion! However, after people watching for about another 30 minutes, I decided some people were there to be seen, not to see. My only rational was that they thought someone was going to pluck them from their seats and ask them to walk the runway. Some people are delusional, am I gonna stop them?

So, the show begins and Robert Verde is the MC One word: Bomb. He did acknowledge that the person who was originally supposed to guide the night backed out, so they asked him two days before. He seemed a little bitter and perhaps wasn’t sure how to wow the crowd, so he just decided to be rude and take us for a walk down Insult Lane. I mean, there were moments where I cringed and I just wanted him to stop. But, no such luck.

First category was ready to wear and I wasn’t blown away. There was one designer, MINE from London that I just loved. Very flirty pieces with ribbon trim and pleats (which normally I am not a fan of). It was bold yet simple and that’s what I look for in designs; pieces that people comment on in regards to the fine design and detail. Sure, the models looked like they were on deaths doorstep, but this is fashion people, smiling and open eyes make you look fat. The last designer in this category, Yujin Song, presented two pieces that somehow went over very well with the audience, but only made me wonder if fashion all together was a joke. I don’t know how else to describe these dresses except that I think I saw them on an episode of Three’s Company or on my math tutors wall, showcasing her trip to Asia in the 80’s. Needless to say, I didn’t like these pieces, but everyone else did, including the judges because she won. And here is the winning design:

I won’t take you play by play through the whole show because it seemed long and it was a lot of skinny pants on men, big jackets with scarves, skimpy dresses but I will review Avant Garde and Evening Wear because I was drawn to a few of the designs. Avant Garde is eye candy and it just seems right to stare. Marie Potesta won this category, and I am in full agreement. Her flowy turquoise and yellow gowns were the perfect mix of elegant and funk. I could totally see Angelina Jolie wearing it to cover up her twin bump, but at the same time I would love to rock this dress out walking through NYC. It’s totally doable, and that makes a good design.

Evening wear was also worth sitting through Verde’s downfall, because it was a beautiful thing. Juliana Bass was my favorite for her unique take on the simple black dress. One of her dresses resembled an Audrey Hepburn look with the off the shoulders but revealing very little. The other strapless dress came high up in the front and dropped down drastically in the back, topped off with an extravagant black bow. It totally worked and her collection is so fun and vintage inspired, which is always a good combination in my book. But Julianna did not win, margaritasaplala did (its one word, I promise). This designer worked with the gradient color look, offering a delicate white knee length dress fading into purple along the bottom. I liked it, but no hearts from me.

It ended around 9 and the walls behind the runway opened up and it all turned into one big party. Music was low, so there was an effort to dance, but no one really committing. And of course, there were the gift bags. What is an event without the shwag? I did not get one of these, but I found a lonely, ripped, raped bag on the floor with contents removed and total lack of care for the little fella. This happens, I see it all too often: people get greedy, they get the bag, take out what they want and throw the rest on the floor. You would think people in fashion would be more civilized, but when you put together open bar, ego and lack of manners, this is what you get:

I am glad I went and I always feel so involved when I am able to see first hand the process of rising designers. Chances are, the participants and winners of this event will rise to another level of buzz worthiness, and hopefully continue to grow their brands. Sometimes, even with the name Gen Art or Project Runway behind them, the bills still can’t get paid. I wish all of them good luck and will actually be interviewing Julianna Bass next week, and ask her about her journey down this road. Until then…

Posted: May 20th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

When I leave a store $130 lighter, I usually have a little guilt. As a small business owner, I easily turn on myself and say “Well, isn’t that nice Kate. Buying clothes instead of office supplies. Way to go.” But interestingly enough, this time my inner self was actually patting me on the back.

On Friday, I went with my roommate to Barneys for the Rogan for Target pre-sale. Up until this partnership between Rogan and Target, a small percentage of people knew of Rogan. And for those who were fans of the line, it was still hard to shell out $300 for a pair of jeans.

When I first heard that Rogan was partnering up with Target for their Go International collection, I wasn’t very excited. The previous designers for the GO collection left me wanting much more, and also made me realize that I am very bad in grey and ruffles (Erin Fetherston). The clothes just don’t fit right and all of the design I love in their normal collections, goes out the window. So again, you can see why I wasn’t gnawing at the bit to see the Rogan line.

However, my roommate sent me an email announcing the beforehand sale that Barneys was holding for the Rogan for Target line and I thought perhaps, if it’s a big hit with Barneys, maybe I should check it out! Barneys was sectioning off one part of their co op floor (7th floor) and selling the collection before it was rolled out in stores.

Friday morning on the bright (9am) we headed into the city from Brooklyn and arrived right when the sale started. I was secretly hoping it would be a mad house; that I could push people and pull things because I had a tough week and I had a bit of aggression. But no such luck, this was quite a tame event.

I loved the collection and felt that Rogan really did design for all. Wonderfully soft and 100% organic cotton tees were the first in my bag, followed by a gorgeous flowy silk blouse and a jumpsuit. Yes, I bought a jumpsuit. Never in a million years would I imagine that I would buy a jump suit, but I kind of fell for it and I confirmed with my roommate that I didn’t look like a sanitation worker. She confidently stated, “Kate, you pair it with a belt and flats and you are good to go!”

So here’s to you Rogan Gregory. I like it. I might even go as far to say as I love it! So on Sunday, May 18th when the collection rolls out in stores, treat yourself to a little shopping and head over to Target ( or online) and take a look-see for yourself!

Posted: May 16th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Sometimes living in New York City is like living in a constant state of Christmas. There are little gifts and surprises at any turn. For someone like myself who eats, sleeps and breathes fashion (I own a fashion PR company, Kick PR), the fashion surprises are what I love most. One of my favorite little gifts are sample sales. Many of them are publicly posted through newspapers or online websites like Daily Candy or Top Button, but not all are revealed and some samples sales show up at the most unexpected places like in a random warehouse on Broadway or in someone’s apartment!

Samples sales are the sales that keep my bank account in the black. They offer high-end pieces for sometimes 75%- 80% off! It’s so fantastic! So every Spring I get my radar out for new duds, because it’s imperative that a NYC girl have at least 2 new dresses, 3 pairs of shoes, 2 new handbags and a dog (not sold at sample sales!) Anybody else ready for the Sex and the City movie?

Most recently I went to the Abeate sample sale ( www.abaete.com). I showed up right at the start so I was able to walk around and browse. I wasn’t really finding anything until my foot inadvertently kicked this little basket on the floor with crumpled up garments in it and a sign on the basket that read: “$40”. So, I weeded through the basket and came across a simple white and black mod dress that was wrinkled and bunched up on the bottom (I’m assuming the dress had seen better days). I pulled it out, and at this time many more people were in the room but it was like I had found this little hidden treasure in the bottom of this basket that no one else seemed to care about it.

I went behind a rack and did my thing to try on the dress. I asked a few girls what they thought and they responded, “Um, not sure” and “I guess so…” But there was something about it that wouldn’t let me put it back. I stared at it for what felt like forever and decided to go for it; I knew I would love this dress. This dress and I had chemistry.

I went to the sales girl, paid my $40 (plus a few other things I bought…) and continued on my way to work. I immediately went online to find out the original price of the dress which ended up being $340!! I bought it for $40 dollars ladies, $40!! What an investment piece.

I had the dress dry cleaned and pressed, and have worn it several times this spring with some cute black flats and simple accessories (to see “the dress” watch: ThrasherTV: What is an ETF?-Check Whats and ETF?) I get comments on it all of the time and it makes me just smile until no end that no one even bothered to look in the basket where I found my most prized possession right now.

Tomorrow I am heading out to the Rogan for Target (ticker: TGT) sale at Barneys where they will be selling the items before they even hit Target. What else could a girl ask for?

Posted: May 9th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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