We love Darragh Dandurand’s spirited, fun and energetic images from the Women’s Mafia ICONS event on Oct. 6th. You really captured everyone’s beauty Darragh – thank you!
ICONS event images by Marc Deliz
Altruism Exploits Fashion Featured Nightlife Performing Arts TalentThank you Marc Deliz for your incredible images capturing our ICONS Gala to benefit ReachWithin.org! Marc, a NY actor, photographer and artist, is working on his first book of Magical Realism photographs. Check him out, follow him and book him to capture the magic in your life! www.mdelizphotography.com
Four Awesome Gifts That Give Back – Ideal for anytime of the year!
Altruism Beauty Causes Fashion Featured Food HealthWe all have those friends and loved ones – they march to the beat of their own drum, they have everything that they truly need and they value quality time over things – we LOVE them for all these qualities, but they sure are hard to shop for!
Here are some clever, healthy, thoughtful and totally unique gifts that give back to great causes, perfect for the most selfless and creative people in our lives.
For the Yogi You Love – AumHome Soulsprays give back to children’s charities in India and the US
SOULSPRAY by AumHome
Reiki infused essential oils, colloidal silver and crystal tinctures are hand blended by professional yogi, Feng Shui expert and healer Nidhi Huba at her Woodstock Retreat. Ideal for fortifying and perfuming your aura as well as every room of your house.
$27 per bottle
$54 for custom sprays, blended with specific intentions and wishes in mind, receive 2 bottles one for home and one for altar.
Each glass bottle comes with crystals in it that can be reused with your own essential oils. A portion of proceeds from each bottle benefits children’s charities in India and the US. www.aumhome.com
For the Kid In All of Us – The FAPE Coloring Kit supports cultural diplomacy through art
FAPE Coloring Book Kit
The FAPE Coloring Book Kit is the perfect gift to stoke a child’s creativity and help them think big about Art, their abilities and the world. It’s also great for adults who are into the Meditating-By-Coloring trend – have you tried it?
The Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies’ Coloring Kit is a colorful collaboration between artists Donald Robertson and EunSun Lee of CMYK+WHITE, INC. Donald “Drawbertson” Robertson is the creative force behind Estée Lauder Company Brands and Creative Director of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Many individuals may also recognize him for his colorful and whimsical illustrations commonly found on Instagram.
The $40 kit includes:
- Coloring book complete with 16 images of FAPE’s Site-Specific Collection (including works of art by Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt, Louise Bourgeois and others)
- Map and sticker set
- 8 pack of Crayola Crayons
- FAPE Site-Specific Catalogue
Proceeds from the kit go towards FAPE’s mission of cultural diplomacy through art!
For details and to order, please visit: www.fapeglobal.org/coloring-kit/.
For the Athletes and Weekend Warriors In Your Family – a great stocking stuffer, Perky Fruit Bodies supports organic farmers and also farming education for formerly homeless families in Florida
Perky Fruit Bodies
A great stocking stuffer for all your healthy, active family members! This innovative, fun and delicious pocket-friendly snack, made of only pure, whole organic fruit and superfoods such as raw cacao and raw coconut, is an ideal snack for kids, parents, athletes and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.
Founded by raw food educator Gil Cohen and his teenage sons RJ and Tal, Perky Fruit Bodies roll ups include naturally occurring, fiber, protein, enzymes and micronutrients and are Paleo-friendly and low-glycemic, to provide sustainable energy for the mind and body. www.perkyfruitbodies.com
For Anyone With Skin – Beauty Buster Skincare is a super-premium, locally made all natural line with products for Men and Women. All products give back to charities benefitting U.S. Vets and Veterans Families.
Beauty Buster Skincare
Beauty Buster Skin Care is award-winning esthetician Lora Condon’s all-natural answer to raising the standards of skin care by using all active ingredients and no fillers. Beauty Buster Skincare will always donate 10% of proceeds to charities benefiting military families and soldiers serving overseas. Beauty Buster Skincare features only the most highly effective natural ingredients including meadowfoam oil for moisture and anti-aging benefits, pine essential oil for healing and anti-bacterial properties, rosewater for soothing hydration and more.
Celebrating “Strength In Beauty,” Beauty Buster Skincare chose inspirational women and men as celebrity faces of the new line including: Miss Kansas Theresa Vail – “America’s Choice” for Miss America and currently serving in the Armed Forces, Fitness Expert NikkiFitness, Author and former Marine Rachel Luna, and US Army SPC Justin Woods. www.thebeautybuster.com/shop/
Cool New App for Actors, Models & Musicians: Check out the SURT Mobile Audition App
Fashion Shopping & Acquisitions TechnologyAmongst the nearly 93 billion, free, mobile applications available worldwide, SURT, is a one-of-a-kind app that connects performing artists across a plethora of industries directly to opportunities within the entertainment industry. And it let’s these artists connect with decision makers with private, virtual auditions.
Currently, the SURT app offers a dynamic forum for performance artists in the categories of vocalists, rap artists, instrumentalists, singer/songwriters, dancers, actors, comedians and models, SURT provides a unique approach for talent and talent management professionals to connect and audition “virtually”.
Have you ever have the experience of trying to hold a business meeting or audition over Skype or Google Hangout and the call keeps dropping or one party’s connection is very fuzzy? SURT assures me that they have a US patent pending streaming technology that produces videos with the same quality across a variety of standard mobile operating systems, which makes any video audition uploaded to SURT accessible to all smartphone users!
Aspiring artists who upload auditions to the SURT mobile, audition application can also create and manage a free profile within their video uploads for review by both the public and entertainment management entities; have their talent profiles and uploads link to personal social media pages and participate in a professional, sharing space where they are able to receive feedback and tips on their performances from their peers, the public and seasoned audition hosts.
SURT has recently been a featured application on the homepage of Google Play and is also available for download on iTunes. Interested host entities can sign up to create an audition at https://www.surt.co/ and are eligible for a free 30 day trial until the end of 2015.
Shopping Just Got Fun Again – Meet The WantList, like Tinder for Shopping, but waaay better than Tinder!
Exploits Fashion Featured Shopping & Acquisitions TechnologyHave you ever felt like all the “hard work” you put in browsing through endless garment options on your phone was wasted when you went home and had to search all over again on your laptop? (#FirstWorldProblems)
The WantList, just launched by trendy UK-based fashion discovery engine Styloko, is the first App to combine Dating-App inspired game play, true Visual Search technology, and an especially helpful “Luxe or Less” function. It works seamlessly across all iOS devices – even the Apple Watch! – and laptops & desktops, so that shopping can be as time-saving, money-saving and FUN as possible. (See exclusive video!)
With intuitive matchmaking technology that will make all your dating apps jealous, The WantList actually learns what colors, cuts, sizes, patterns and brands you like through it’s game-changing visual search capabilities. When you “swipe right” on a coveted garment the App can show you a plethora of “Luxe or Less” options, while learning even more about what fashion choices truly turn you on. The App also lets you know when a “WantList” item goes on sale!
Another really exciting aspect of The WantList App is that is allows you to ‘pick up where you left off’ on your shopping journey across all your iOS devices – meaning that if you start swiping right on your iPhone in the morning at a coffee shop, and continue on your Apple Watch at lunch, you can come back to your discoveries later that night on your laptop. We all know how hard it can be to find the perfect dress for an event, or the exact pair of jeans in your perfect wash and fit, and this helps to make sure you don’t lose your mobile style finds.
With a few quick swipes left or right the app begins to analyze your tastes and preferences and immediately personalizes your experience. The WantList features a “See Visually Similar” option with super cutting-edge visual search technology to help customers find similar designs. With one tap on the ingenious Luxe or Less feature, the app shows both higher and lower priced alternatives. As one person’s luxe is another person’s less, the automated process puts the user in control.
The app is free and will be available from 4th June 2015 worldwide for the iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch. Android will follow Summer 2015.
Coveting Now: Meet Harper Hallam
Design Exploits Fashion Shopping & Acquisitions Street StyleMy dear friend Olga introduced me to a really fun collection of statement fashion jewelry called Harper Hallam. With great texture and surface interest, and pieces that can suit every occasion, the line has gotten very popular, very quickly.
Rebecca Harper Hallam is the exclusive jewelry line designer and creative visionary behind HARPER HALLAM Designs. The Texas-based designer is influenced by her native Mexico and her brood consisting of husband, daughter and teenage twins. As an entrepreneur, mother and artist with 12 years of design experience, Rebecca collaborates with expert artisans on two continents to craft limited-edition jewelry collections for women just like her.
Currently, the jewelry is sold at Elaine Turner Boutiques throughout Texas, Tennessee and New York City or online at harperhallam.com.
Valentine’s Day Redux: Be the One That You Want
Dating Design Events Fashion Featured Sex and Relationships Shopping & AcquisitionsSometimes your significant other doesn’t get Valentine’s Day quite right. Or you are single. In those times, it is important to be nice to yourself, cherish yourself, and sometimes to shop for yourself… a lot!
Here are some of our favorite picks for this year, to treat yourself today or any time of year!
Design Your Own 3D Printed Fine Jewelry with American Pearl
If you didn’t get the jewelry that your heart desires, design it yourself! Do you love gold? Are you partial to Tahitian Pearls or Black Diamonds? Start with American Pearl’s gorgeous designs and customize for you or your beloved (men’s jewelry and cuff links available too!) with choices including gold, silver or platinum; diamonds, emeralds, rubies and precious birth stones; and pearls from all over the world. Complimentary custom engravings are available for most designs. www.americanpearl.com and www.americandiamondshop.com
18K Yellow Gold Black Diamond and Aubergine Tahitian Pearl Flow Ring $1867
14k White Gold and Black Green Tahitian Pearl Flow Ring $1800
American Pearl’s Fully Customizable Key To Her Heart Pendant
Valentine’s Day price:$775.00, originally $2,713.
Tahitian Pearl Pendant heart Love – choose from 8 different colors of Tahitian Pearls
Originally $875, now $250 for Valentine’s Day
TrueFacet is an exciting new online marketplace for Certified Authentic designer jewelry, with a mission of guaranteeing the best price for both buyer and seller by getting fakes out of the marketplace. www.TrueFacet.com
Nearly every woman’s heart races at the sight of a robin’s egg blue box from Tiffany & Co. This Tiffany & Co. Elsa Peretti Bone Bracelet is a timeless, thoughtful gift you can wear all year round. It is only $600 on TrueFacet, originally $995. It comes direct from TrueFacet in fully refurbished “like new” condition in Tiffany’s signature Robin’s Egg Blue box with a Certificate of Authenticity.
18k White and Rose Gold Serpent Necklace by Damiani at TrueFacet
This pendant necklace from Damiani is beautiful and perfect for the lady who loves feminine elegance. The necklace is made of 18K white gold and features a serpent-shaped pendant. The pendant is set with ~2.13ct of pink sapphires and white diamonds. Lastly, the bail is made of 18K rose gold. Included Items: Gift Box. Retail Price: $9,740, $2,727 At TrueFacet
AumHome “Soul&Space” aromatherapy sprays –
Valentines Day special Bhakti elixir for Men&Women. Perfect offering to the ones you adore. Garners attraction and peace. Each hand crafted, small batch Aum Home spray features aromatherapy designed to uplift, heal and clear negativity. Yogi, Healer and Interior Designer Nidhi Huba of Aum Home creates each limited edition batch with specific healing intentions. Featured Organic Essential Oils are blended with Selenite crystal, Colloidal Silver and Gem Elixirs. Every bottle is energized with Reiki, Sound Healing, Mantras and blessed crystals to keep. To enhance your experience, before spraying tap the bottle on your palm with suggested chant or affirmation.
$21 for the Valentines Bhakti elixir. $35 custom spray blended with clients intent with essential oils & crystal perfect for the request. Limited edition, pre-orders suggested. www.aumhome.com
Shop Ken Chen’s new KC SF for beautiful, affordable clothes made in California.
Our dear friend, and Women’s Mafia Fashion Week alum, Ken Chen has been busy this season creating a new diffusion line that features his signature asymmetrical details, gorgeous draping and flattering silhouettes at very affordable prices. A few I love, named after some Women’s Mafia members!
The “Marcy” dress ($45). Named after moi! (OMG, how exciting!)
The Ally Dress ($45) named after singer/songwriter Ally Sereda, the Engie Jacket ($56) named after stylist Engie Hassan
The Constance jogger top ($36) and pants ($39) after fashionista Constance Zheng. www.kc-sf.com
Last, but certainly not least, something for the man (or men – we don’t judge!) in your life:
An Accessory or Styling Session with Savile Row Society
Does your guy hate to shop but love that look in your eyes when he is dressed to the nines? Savile Row Society is a men’s personal styling, shopping and custom suiting platform for men that promises to be “the end of shopping as men know it.” The service connects men (or you and your guy) with a live, professional NY stylist right away for quick, efficient, curated wardrobe building without having to look through hundreds of online options. They can even hop on Skype with you! www.savilerowsociety.com
They have stand-out accessories such as these Tateossian Cufflinks ($195) and leather Dopp kits for gifts, Closet Cleanses and Personal Shopping at home ($350), Personal Styling Sessions online or in their NY Showroom (Free) and Custom Shirting starts at $150.
Visit www.Savil.me and schedule your guy’s stylist appointment today!
Meet Lisa Dolan: The Woman Reinventing The Way Men Shop
Design Fashion Men Shopping & Acquisitions Talent
We had the privilege of sitting down with Lisa Dolan, the founder and President of the new men’s styling and personal shopping concierge service Savile Row Society, which is reinventing the way men shop with a curated, omni-channel platform staffed with professional fashion stylists, to ensure men get the right look and fit, every time.
What Lisa has created is pretty exciting. Savile Row Society works with both the best stylists and the best brands in the world. Their roster of talent includes wardrobe and personal style consultants (such as Women’s Mafia members Engie Hassan and Dawn Del Russo) who have dressed Royalty, celebrities and top executives all over the world, contributed to publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle and Numero, and have been seen on Fox, E! News, NBC, CBS and more.
With a luxurious New York showroom steps from Madison Square Park and an intuitive online platform, Savile Row Society is the one-stop shopping destination that caters to every wardrobe need, from men’s custom suiting, to shoes, to accessories. SRS offers more than 80 best-in-class brands including Barbour, Lacoste, Hook & Albert, Paul Evans, Haspel, Edward Armah, Pretentious Pocket, Alan Paine, Margo Petitti, Tateossian, Allen Edmonds and Daniel Wellington. Here we have an exclusive interview with Lisa Dolan:Women’s Mafia: What is the mission of Savile Row Society? What are the unique draws for your clients and customers?
Savile Row Society’s mission is to make an efficient and enjoyable shopping experience for the professional male. My goal is to make sure every guy has access to quality garments in an easy to use format. It’s that simple. I also have high falutin ideas about making SRS a men’s club, replicating the feeling of a Havana Club.
WM: How did you get your start in the world of high-end fashion and what advice do you have for up-and-coming young entrepreneurs and stylists?
I threw myself into the mens fashion world – I went to the high-end designers’ Market parties. The first warm intros were always done in a non-business setting, which was very helpful to me.
I learned that the high-end mens fashion business is very much of a family – everyone knows each other, and in order to do business, you need to join the family, and I was excited to join. I was originally seen as the weird tech-company but in the end after a few seasons, designers perked up and recognized SRS could be an idea partner to reach our high-end customer.
WM: I understand you support some great causes with Savile Row Society. What causes are important to you?
Career Gear provides professional clothing to under privileged men who are looking for employment. SRS was originally built on the tenets that personal branding and image are so important in today’s fluid marketplace, where no one stays in a profession or location for a lifetime.
Getting the interview/job is where the main discrepancies lie – once you have the job, anyone can learn and prove themselves. I am confident Career Gear has some role in closing that gap.
WM: When did you realize you could make your passion your career?
I was running on a treadmill and I saw my life on a clearly charted path in front of me.
I wanted to create my own path.
I knew I wasn’t excited – I wasn’t giving myself the opportunity to make an impact in any way. Thru SRS, we can effectively improve the image of professional men, to help them achieve both their personal and professional goals
WM: What is your favorite date night look for a man?
A blazer, jeans, brown shoes, and a shirt of his choosing – button downed to black tee shirt – the shirt shows what kind of man he is.
WM: You do so much between running your business, hosting so many fashion events and your cat type of person he is, or what type of date he wants it to be. I love a guy who wears a pocket square and no tie.
harity work – what energizes you?
Hmm that’s a good question – I don’t really know – I’ve always naturally had a lot of energy. I think it’s that I am extremely curious, love challenges, and love doing something new. If I had to pinpoint one driver, it would be my curiosity – I want to constantly be learning of what’s out there, and how I can be a part of it.
WM: What can the Women’s Mafia make happen for you?
Well for starters, I’d love to have SRS dress your man so you can go on doing what you love to do, and do other, more fun things together than go shopping!
WM: Lastly, please share with us – If you could dress any gentleman, alive or dead who would it be?
Warren Buffet! Mr. Buffet – our atelier is always open to you. :-)
Event Recap: TRIPTYCH Artisanal Footwear Launches SS 15
Events Fashion Fashion Week FeaturedThe Women’s Mafia was so proud to be a media parter for the TRIPTYCH artisanal footwear launch party this past week at the hip G TECTS architectural space on Delancey Street in the Lower East Side. TRIPTYCH will be in stores in February 2015 and our members got to meet architect, Parsons professor and designer Tania Ursomarzo and preview the gorgeous samples direct from Italy’s finest footwear artisans. The collection is now available for pre-order and select shoes are available at cost in their unique Kickstarter campaign. (SO COOL!)
You can look forward to handbag and jewelry accessories collections by designer, architect and Parsons professor Tania Ursomarzo in the near future!
TRIPTYCH Artisanal Footwear Collection Premiers at New York Fashion Week
Unique Line Debuted on September 3 with Fashion Film Screening
NEW YORK, NY, September 2014—Beauty with an edge, and a wedge, was on show when accessories label TRIPTYCH unveiled its first collection of artisanal footwear on the eve of New York Fashion Week at the architectural studios of G TECTS in the Lower East Side on September 3. An eager audience of editors, bloggers, photographers, buyers, and fashion aficionados got what it had come for: a finely tuned presentation of exquisitely crafted shoes defying simple categories of design and season.
In a space well matched to the innovative yet comfortable cool of TRIPTYCH footwear, the shoes beckoned from mirrored platforms, installed among everyday office objects, in classic neutral hues—with the occasional punch of vibrant turquoise. “Life is about moving,” read some of the buttons playfully placed inside the wine glasses at the event, and movement no doubt is the driving force behind what makes TRIPTYCH tick. A short fashion film directed by Tania Ursomarzo, the label’s designer, highlighted her footwear’s functionality and beauty of form on dancing feet caught in the reflections of New York City windows.
Designed for treading city pavements—whether they lead to the office, a black-dress event, or just down the street on an errand—TRIPTYCH shoes in fact celebrate movement: that of the foot in motion and that of the fine materials used in fabrication. Folds, wrinkles, asymmetrical wedges, and unexpected cut-outs simultaneously support practicality and flatter the foot. And with time, the shoe’s soft leathers will mold to their wearer, tracing the individual’s unique patterns of locomotion.
Conceptualized in New York, TRIPTYCH shoes are meticulously crafted by master artisans in Italy, and it is this marriage of bold innovation and solid workmanship that defines the label. Ursomarzo, herself an architect by training, wants her footwear to move beyond the confines of fashion and trendiness: “The world doesn’t need more shoes,” she contends; “it needs good, ever evolving, and innovative design.” Why? Because good design not only delights but also makes us think and rethink the ordinary.
For more on the label and to follow TRIPTYCH on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, visit WWW.TRIPTYCHNY.COM.
For wholesale inquiries, please email TRIPTYCH at CONTACT@TRIPTYCHNY.COM.
For Q&A with TRIPTYCH creator, Tania Ursomarzo, go to http://www.womensmafia.com/2014/08/talent-qa-with-architect-and-accessories-designer-tania-ursomarzo-of-triptych/
For press inquiries contact Marcy Clark at marcy@womensmafia.com.
Alexander Wang Spring 2015 Collection
Design Fashion Fashion WeekBy Beth Vickerman
On Saturday the 6th of September Alexander Wang showcased his Spring 2015 collection to an eager crowd. For this collection Wang combined sporty with glamorous , he said it all started when he was thinking about sneakers (really?!). Sneakers were featured on the runway along with tennis style skirts to complete the sportswear look. Wang said his vision was to ‘ translate sneakers into the body’.
Wang presented the women in a much more feminine and sexy way than he has in some previous collections. Many garments showed a little skin, but they weren’t too revealing, it was just the perfect amount to look sexy, refined and fashion forward at the same time.
This collection proved how talented Wang is at producing clothing that flatters all women. Wang is serving as the current creating director of Balenciaga and preparing his upcoming collaboration at H&M in November.
- Photos: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.com