October photo shoot

My terrific new assistant, Abby

Getting ready in the basement of The Ashton

You know it!

Swagulous Baracks the Vote!

Our (empty) house & my brother's wedding cake

My new kitchen

Oh Oh Oscar!

two snaps from my interview with de la renta. love him!

BACK FROM THE BRINK!

I KNOW, I KNOW, Swagulous in the City's been, ahem, out of pocket as they say in the fashion biz. But I haven't been home boxing shoes, people -- I've been swamped with a move, work, work, work, work and family visits (much love Dad!). I am currently scouting for royalty-free celeb fashion fotos, anyone have a good source?

Meet Me in St. Louis-La La!

Who says fashion is elitist? Who thinks haute couture clashes with hops and barley? For anyone who said Miss Dior and Missouri couldn't coexist, hold onto your catwalk for ...

ST LOUIS FASHION WEEK!

Movers and shakers of the fashion world will meet in St. Louis from Oct. 6-12 for shows, soirees and boutique presentations. As the fashion history majors out there know, this town is where the 'juniors" division was born, which may not be couture, folks, but it pays the bills! It's also the birthplace of Baby Phat's Kimora Lee Simmons and the hometown of Nelly and his Apple Bottom Jeans line. Which all may not be couture but again, pays some billz, yo.

Debuting at SLFW will be Nelly's new Red Label line, a boutique-only collection, and the world premire of a line called U. C. Me by Murphy Lee and Kyjuan. All afterparty merriment sponsored by Budweiser ... Select, of course.

Geren Up for Spring! Backstage at Geren Ford's S/S 09 Show in New York City

Dateline Sept. 3 -- Backstage at Geren Ford, this snap captures five of his runway looks for next spring. In a word? Love. Or rather, lovely -- lovely layering and soft fun colors for spring, wearable mixes of complementary hues (think mustard and pumpkin popping off grays, royal blue paired with sunny yellow) and also luxe textures (silk gauzes over twill over shimmers and loose weaves) that should define -- and really refine -- a well done layered look. It's a nice evolution from some of his earlier, flirty looks. (Note from the real world: a big no-go on the very Bavaria socks -and-haute-sandals look his models were sporting; IMHO that only really ever works on the runway and maybe on Sienna Miller.) But what I mostly love about Ford's spring looks is that I can rock them now (although not yet from Ford -- unless, ahem, some samples happen to become available). I am especially thinking about those long scarves, they're a terrific way to add color, texture and a long, lean line down your torso. Ford showed the scarves draped, pulled and bow-tied, accenting every outfit, from these hot pants to baggy capris to too-cute dresses. I plan to put this blue and white silk number on my must-buy list, asap! (Do you hear that, retailers? Buy these scarves!) Actually, what's nice about this collection is that a working gal like me actually COULD buy these scarves and much more -- Ford is infinitely affordable, found on sites like Shopbop in the $250 - $400 range, and with looks this versatile, can a fun capsule collection for, say, Target, be far behind? Keep us posted!

Marc Bower's Online Show = Dire Recessionista Trend?

So in the midst of the paper and electronic invites I've been receiving this week, both "in-tent" and "off-campus," I got an email from Marc Bower announing that everyone's sitting front row at his Sept. 9th show: Because it's online! His 2009 Spring/Summer collection, called "Goddess by a Pool" promises 70-style retro styling in shades of bright poppy. OK, I can do op and pop! What's harder to ascertain is what to do next: From the email, it seems that I just click on a link at noon on Monday the 9th and through the magic of cyberspace, I'll be transported to the House of Bower, right? It sounds groovy, but I do hope it's not a harbinger of recessionista trends to come ... ??

Waiting List Open NOW for Lancome's Limited Edition Black Gloss

Black lipstick is fabulously gothy on the runways and gloriously sinister in magazines, but just how does this haute trend translate in the real world? Enter Lancôme, which just announced the November debut of Color Fever Gloss in Piha Black, created by the company's new artistic director for makeup, New Zealander Aaron de Mey. Black gloss is much more wearable than lipstick, says Mey, and he's even created the perfect undershade to accentuate his dark sheen: Color Fever Lipstick in Piha Red. A true, eye-popping red, it's inspired by the sole of a Christian Louboutin shoe and named for a beach near his childhood home. Wear the colors alone or customize your own shade by mixing them together. (Check out the lips above to see just how that looks.) Mey also suggests using the black gloss on the eyes. Love it? We thought so. Here's the catch:Only 500 of the sets ($48 each) will be available in the United States come November, and only at Bloomingdale’s NYC location on 59^th Street, at www.lancome-usa.com and at the company's five boutiques (click here for locations). Don't panic: The waiting list at Bloomingdale’s 59th Street has just opened. CALL NOW -- 212-705-2886 to add your name to the list!

Swag factor: Zero. Lancome publicists told us there were no samples available. Editors just gotta git in line with ev'ryone else!

Berlin's MYKITA: Made for Shade & the Pix to Prove It!

The easiest way to find out if you look good in a pair of sunglasses? Try them on of course. And that's just what we got to do at the MYKITA event during Berlin Fashion Week. MYKITA's the creation of the Berlin-based design team of Philipp Haffmans and Harald Gottschling; each pair is handmade and the line boasts the street cred of having recently won a top European design award. Besides the Champagne, the biggest draw at the ultra-minimalist boutique (all white walls adorned only with sunglasses racks, extra stock held in tricked out metal airplane galley storage containers) was the chance to check out the glasses. Not only did MYKITA execs help you choose the primo frame for your face, but they took a Polaroid of you in them, too -- two of 'em, in fact: one for you to take home and another for the company's "frame of fame," which they emailed to all of us the other day. Check it out: GET FLASHED WITH MYKITA PHOTO GALLERY. You can see how good the shades look on all types of wearers, cool cats and an actual K-9! But the photo gallery's also a neat picture essay in Berlin street style. Think you can find me in the line-up? Let me know and I'll send you some Fashion Week goodies. I have to say, I rocked my MYKITAs. They were red powdercoated metal in an oversized aviator style and they were fabulous. Even better, these shades were indestructable. So well designed are these MYKITAs that you can bend the arms every which way and even smoosh the glasses entirely (no more sunglasses-in-the-driver's-seat-surprise!) and they won't break. Alas, what MYKITA can't design against is my forgetful nature. Over the years, I have found that the price of my sunglasses is inversely proportionate to the speed at which I lose them. Which is why I still have a crooked pair of black Ann Taylor shades, circa 1996, and the amount of time I got to enjoy my rimless, rose-tinted Chanel wrap-arounds could be measured in hours. So, no MYKITAs for me. But for anyone looking for an ubercool pair of $400 sunglasses made to the highest production and optical standards, check 'em out.

NY FASHION WEEK - FOUR WEEKS AND COUNTING!

The credentials have been approved, now I am just waiting for the morning when the designer contact list comes out and I -- along with tens of thousands of colleagues de plume -- will bombard publicists with our invite requests. In the mean time, the tentative spring 09 participant list was released this morning with several new and exciting names (Welcome Charlotte Ronson! Shout out to you Lela Rose!) -- here's the list:

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week schedule begins with Michael Angel and is followed by BCBGMAXAZRIA , Perry Ellis, Duckie Brown, Rubin Singer, Nicole Miller, Erin Fetherston, Academy of Art University, Venexiana, Lacoste, Charlotte Ronson, Tony Maticevski, Abaeté, Andy & Debb, Rosa Chá, Verrier, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Rock & Republic, Macqua, Lela Rose, DKNY, Tracy Reese, Terexov, Hervé Léger by Max Azria, Diane Von Furstenberg, Y-3, Akiko Ogawa., Tibi, Miss Sixty, Thuy Diep, Twinkle by Wenlan, Carolina Herrera, Peter Som, Jill Stuart, Sergio Davila, Diesel Black Gold, Luca Luca, Yeohlee, Tony Cohen, Ports 1961, Gottex, Cynthia Steffe, Badgley Mischka, Monique Lhuillier, Iódice, Betsey Johnson, Dennis Basso, Joanna Mastroianni, MAX AZRIA, Vivienne Tam, Brian Reyes, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, Richard Chai, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Carlos Miele, Pamella Roland, Milly by Michelle Smith, Anna Sui, Mara Hoffman, Malan Breton, Vera Wang, Naeem Khan, Rebecca Taylor, Reem Acra, Calvin Klein, Leifsdottir, Chris Han, Custo Barcelona, Zac Posen, Aurelio Costarella, Project Runway, Ralph Lauren, Tadashi Shoji, Sabyasachi, Carmen Marc Valvo, Donna Karan Collection and OmniaLuo by Zheng Luo.

This is my first season as a freelancer, without the power of a masthead mention to support my application. So I was thrilled to get the nod, and to all of you out there in PR-ville, please don't overbook your shows but please do let me in --I will be spinning queries like there's no tomorrow!

Auf Wiedersehen Berlin Fashion Week!

More looks from Killian Kerner

Love the belt!

Le fin!

Cutie KK

Killian Kerner -- Berlin Fashion Week Day 3

What an exciting final day! I'd seen Killian Kerner's January BFW show on You Tube and was excited to see it for real. He didn't disappoint. It also didn't hurt that Kerner & Co. gave us amazing seats-- hello front row! -- and neat KK tote bags filled with a CD, a small brush and a handy sewing kit. Like his earlier show, Kerner had a live band in the house. But not just any group -- this one, an electro-emo group called SpinterX, was more like a band inspired by a designer inspired by a band. Basically, it was a true creative collaboration that was readily apparent, as the band's lead singer, Ben Ivory, looked a hell of a lot like all the male models in the show, who all looked a hell of a lot like Killian Kerner. But I digress. Kerner showed a mix of mens and womens looks, with the mens stuff all pretty on-trend (think weird drop-crotched pants and walking shorts paired with tall socks). The women's looks were uniformly simple, gorgeous and wearable. I loved one of the belts, and appreciated how he played with pleats and construction. I also loved the back pockets on the jeans he sent down the runway, the tops of which were finished with the top outline of his double-K logo. The show's final look, a grayish-lavender gown, left the entire audience breathless. But it was the appearance of KK himself -- boyishly cute and YSL-shy -- that sent the audience into wild applause and a standing ovation. Want to see more? Check out Killiankerner.de. And if you yearn for Depeche Mode and believe in your heart that Curiosity Killed the Cat deserves a comeback, check out SpinterX's singles, "Head over Heels" and "I am", both of which were written especially for Kerner and this show, at splinterx.net or myspace.com/splinterx.

PureBerlin - Berlin Fashion Week, Day 2

This show, featuring streetwear by local designers pureberlin, was one of the hottest tickets of the entire week. Everyone seemed to know everyone, and one of the models even high-fived a frontrower as she tromped down the runway. Yet the familiar tone seemed to fit the casual line to a T, since the collection is largely T-shirts, hoodies and jeans, all made from 100 percent cotton. The inspiration is simple: Berlin. But the graphics used on the pieces is pretty cool -- designs feature postcodes for the city; for example, 10117 for Berlin-Mitte, 10997 for Berlin-Kreuzberg, 10623 for Berlin-Charlottenburg and 10245 for Berlin-Friedrichshain. Depending on which district is being featured, the matching areacode appears on the garment. Unfortunately, the local focus means the brand can only be found locally. I for one will be checking the website to see if any distribution points pop up in the states or the site gets ecommerce enabled.

Berlin Fashion Week: Name that Celebrity!

OK folks, correct-seeming answers win a prize. Looks like Mila Jovovich, right?

But not really here, and if it were Mila, why would she be canoodling with the K.D. Lang type next to her? Anyone have an idea who these folks could be? Enquiring minds sure wanted to know, they were much photographed prior to the Pure Berlin show.

Maybe-Mila, Quasi-KD and to their left, I think are three of the four members of the German pop group No Angels.

Perhaps the most photographed guy at the shows -- anyone know who he is?

Berlin Fashion Week: My American Fashion Selection

Berlin was ... cold. Last I checked with the folks at Weather.com, the predictions were in the mid-to-high 70s. I estimate the true temps were about 10 degrees colder than that. One H&M jacket later, I was happy as a clam. That said, it was sunny and 70 degrees in the tents. The first day, I mixed high and low with a shirt and jacket from the Gap accented with a nautically inspired double-brooch that I absolutely love that was made by Chicago designer Cyndi Chan (www.cyndichan.com), a big yellow leather Botkier bag and modified gladiator heels from Cynthia Vincent. Day 2 was a paisley silk shirt from NYC-based Nieves Lavi, a years-old Adrienne Vittadini silver and wood necklace and an oversized 80s clutch courtesy of eBay. Day 3, the cold took hold and I paired that new dark gray H&M jacket with no-name bootleg jeans from Nordstroms and my favorite favorite favorite white T-shirt from Rogues Gallery, which I bought at Koros Art & Style in the West Loop of Chicago. (If anyone from Koros is reading, please contact me if you have any more of these shirts, especially with the rabbit, size XS!). So with the exception of the jacket, I kept it All American, folks.