Hearts on Fire

photos by Kari Skaflen

Hearts on Fire presented their "Architectural Collection" Wednesday at the Chicago Spire/NBC Tower on the 18th floor hosted by Kelly Ryan O'Brien and Amanda Puck. All jewelry presented at this event was inspired by famous buildings or known architecture. A tribute piece was made for the Chicago Spire that is in the process of being built here.

It was all about sparkle Wednesday night. Guests were invited to sit and lounge in a smaller sitting room or were able to chat amongst others in the main hallway that was lined with bar high round tables. Jewelry on display for the night consisted of a picture of the architecture or building that the piece was inspired by, as well as a brief description of how and why this building was such an inspiration. The "perfect cut" diamond had a perfect revealing of their new "Architectural Collection."
-Katie Davidson

Guess/GQ Event

Bulls players Tyrus Thomas, Drew Gooden and Luol Deng

Guess and GQ hosted an event Wednesday at the Guess store located on Michigan Avenue. Walking through the doors and being greeted by handsome men who wanted to offer you a drink is always a good start to an evening. This event was held for all Guess Club Card Members who could come and have a private shopping outing. A portion of proceeds went to support the Luol Deng Foundation. Local Chicago Bulls Superstar, Luol Deng, started a foundation that would strive to provide hope to all refugee's returning to Southern Sudan through education and sports. It is always committed to support the UNHCR'S through the ninemillion.org campaign.

Hors d' oeuvres were served with sparkling water, champagne and beer. The Guess store displayed their most recent garments and the atmosphere was perfect for shopping. A local DJ was keeping the party going with a variety of pulsating music. Lot's of people came to show their support to the Luol Deng Foundation and take the opportunity to receive one on one attention from sales associates. Complimentary bags had goodies such as the newest GQ Magazine, MAC make-up samples, Guess magnets, GQ socks and many more little goodies.

-Katie Davidson

Wear it like Beckham

This spring Victoria Beckham is taking it all off. Following in the footsteps of her husband’s Emporio Armani underwear campaign, the singer/fashion icon will star in her own worldwide advertising campaign for Emporio Armani Women’s Underwear. The pictures were shot last Wednesday by fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. “David’s pictures were fantastic,” Beckham said. “He looked gorgeous in them. I was very, very proud and happy for him. To be given this opportunity to work with them is thrilling.” This is not Victoria’s first time modeling or dealing with the fashion industry. Victoria has her own line of jeans, dVb, as well as having designed jeans for Rock and Republic. The campaign has recently aroused speculation that the former Spice Girl and her family will be relocating to Milan, however Beckham has confirmed that the move will be temporary, due to David Beckham’s training, and that they will continue to live in the States.
-Jackie Medler

Runway To Retail: Zoot Ultra Race Shoe

Zoot will feed your daily stamina and help you keep-up on the go. The endurance-sport label has just released its newest Ultra Race shoes. The Zoot Ultra Race shoe is state-of-the-art and has moisture-wicking fabrics, speed-tie laces, and mid-sole support for long-distance running. The hot colors and sleek design are great for runners and regular busy-bodies alike; so whether you are running a marathon or running to the store, Zoot has got you covered. The Ultra Race shoe can be worn with or without socks for maximum comfort and style. Maintain your pace and momentum with Zoot’s latest swift kicks.
-Jackie Medler

Fall into the Gap's Sales!

Gap.com is having a pants sale right now, buy one, get the other for 50% off! Check out some of our favorite pieces for fall from Gap.com

77Kids, a New Chic Line for Kids

American Eagle Outfitters announced the e-commerce launch of its new brand for kids, 77kids by American Eagle. The collections includes everything from denim to fleece to dresses to accessories similar to garments you would see in the American Eagle stores. All items are available online beginning today at www.77kids.com. Brands that are included in this line are 77washTM and 77softTM which has guarantees to maintain size, shape and quality and to be extremely soft and comfortable through dozens of washes. All pieces purchased are guaranteed free shipping and free returns.

President, Chris Fiore, wants parents to get as much out of these clothes as the kids. That’s why he is adamant on the guarantees of washes and returns. These clothes are stylish yet durable for kids wear and tear. The 77kids websites has a lot of extra amenities offered. 7 “Gotta Have Outfit” is a feature that displays seven different outfits on the kid models. This allows kids to get inspiration and visually see what certain pieces can go together. Size Wizard is a step by step listing of how to properly get measurements and then what sizes of 77Kids coincide with those measurements. These feature is handy when it comes to getting the correct sizes for children. All sizes can range from store to store so no one really knows exactly what size they are in a specific store.

77kids by American Eagle, offers on-trend, high-quality clothing and accessories for kids ages two to 10. American Eagle Outfitters was founded in 1977, which is the inspiration for the 77kidsTM name. The new brand will draw from the strong heritage of American Eagle Outfitters, with a point-of-view that’s thoughtful, playful and real. Like American Eagle clothing, 77kids will focus on great fit, value and style.
-Katie Davidson

Manolo Blahnik's Love of Americana

Manolo Blahnik recently made a personal appearance at Neiman Marcus. Mr. Blahnik, who became a household name thanks to the character Carrie Bradshaw in the series Sex and the City, was greeted at the department store with an explosion of applause. He signed shoes, books, shoe bags and memorabilia, and graciously posed for photos while guests enjoyed mini water and
champagne bottles, and cookies with a Blahnik shoe design on them. While waiting to have their items signed, guests were able to view two monitors, one which played a runway show featuring his shoes and the other played La Dolce Vita, in honor of Mr. Blahnik’s love of old movies. The hit of the day, though, was his shoe, the Hangisi, which was featured in the Sex and the City movie. If only we would have known of his love of fries and milkshakes...
www.manoloblahnik.com
- Katherine Mingey

Hilary Duff Supports Blessings in a Backpack

Hilary Duff was spotted last Tuesday, not in L.A. or New York – but Fort Wayne, Indiana. The movie star is lending her name and her time to the Blessings in a Backpack program. Blessings in a Backpack is a charity that gives backpacks full of foods to underprivileged kids so that they have enough to eat on the weekends. Duff is happy to help and hopes that her name will draw more attention to the great cause. "I think that people might not be aware that a couple neighborhoods away, kids aren't having food on the weekends, and we just want people to be informed and to know what's going on in their communities and to help if they can.”

Blessings in a Backpack started in 2005 and prides itself in helping children’s nutritional needs. Visit www.blessingsinabackpack.com for more information about the cause.

-Jackie Medler

New Milan Hotel Scheduled to Open Next Year

Moschino is a brand known for their clothing, but now they are branching out to open their own hotel, so you don't just wear their fashions, you can live it also. Grand opening for the luxury hotel Maison Moschino is in 2009. The hotel will be located in the neoclassical railway station at Viale Monte Grappe, 12, in Milan. Rossella Jardini and the Moschino creative team are receiving all the credit for the design of the hotel. The hotel will have fairy-tale themed rooms like a "Petals" room and a "Dream" hall. There are 54 rooms and 15 suites, all of which will have their own personalities and styles. The hotel will include a bar, restaurant, garden, spa, and gym. The concept of the hotel Maison Moschino was presented at the 45th annual TTG Incontri, an international tourism trade show in Rimini, Italy, which took place last weekend.
-Katie Davidson

The Olsen's Under the Influence

Do fashion under the influence of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The twins have recently released their book “Influence” that explains the girls creative vision and fashion inspirations from the likes of fashion experts, photographers, and artists like Karl Lagerfeld, Terry Richardson, and Richard Prince. Mary-Kate and Ashley will be holding book signings in the upcoming weeks in New York and L.A.

Tuesday, October 28th in New York City:
12:30-1:30pm ET at Barnes and Noble in Union Square 33 E 17th Street, New York, NY 10003

Wednesday, November 12th in Los Angeles:
7:00-8:00pm PT at Borders in Westwood 1360 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90024
-Jackie Medler

Islands of the World Countdown!

Just click on the image to learn more!

Cyber Deals!

We've scoured the web for time sensitive cyber deals! Happy Shopping!

Free US Standard Shipping on ANY order on Oct. 30th and 31st only! Enter promo SPOOKY08 at checkout.

Take an additional 25% off Clearance at C&C California! Use code LS1008 at checkout. Offer valid through 10.31.08.

It's Clinique Bonus Time! Choose your FREE 7 piece Gift with any $21.50 clinique.com purchase. Hurry, offer expires 11.08 or while supplies last!

FREE SHIPPING SITEWIDE with a $75 purchase at Macys.com. Use promo code: CELEBRATE. Only valid 28-Oct-2008.

Enter now to win a fabulous bag at NET-A-PORTER.COM

Save up to 40% on Last Minute Fares with Hotwire Limited Rates!

Lakme Fashion Week....

Check out our latest coverage from Lakme Fashion Week click here

Olay's Pro-X

The prestigious Olay brand is bringing professional skin care to your drug store. Olay Professional Pro-X is in the making and set to sell this coming January 2009. Professional Pro-X will be Olay’s most potent formulas to date with new proprietary peptides that will help build collagen and elastin while hydrating. Keep a look out for bright white and red boxes that encase pretty plastic jars. With skincare this good, our skin has something to look forward to after Christmas.
-Jackie Medler

A Tod's Féte

Last night, Chicago fashionistas headed to Tod's for a cocktail and shopping féte to raise money for The President's Leadership Council of The Field Museum. The shopping party, hosted by notables like Abby Blaine Dunn, Kimberly Burt, Amy Tara Koch and Francine Turk, allowed shoppers to peruse and buy the latest fall collection, all while giving back. And, we think, that's the best way to shop.

Tiffany's Toasts John Loring

John Loring

Tiffany Turquoise was the color of the night for Park Avenue's Armory in Manhattan. Fans gathered to celebrate their beloved Tiffany's designer, John Loring for his new book "Tiffany Style." Champagne was served as guests glanced through the pages of this book, which outlines the past 170 years of classic Tiffany pieces from Charles Lewis Tiffany's gems to Lewis Comfort Tiffany's lamps and even to Paloma Picasso and Frank Gehry's jewelry designs.

Loring explains that the book is pretty much a diary of the past pieces from Tiffany's and the stylish things this brand has done. Loring has been the author of 21 Tiffany books from The New Tiffany Table Settings in 1981 to Tiffany Colored Gems, published last year. Tiffany has become an American Style that is timeless. It's straightforward, refined, very honest, no complications and of most importance sophisticated. Just the qualities Americans take pride in. Amy Fine Collins, Carmen Dell'Orefice, Jamee Gregory, and Harry Benson were there to make a toast to Loring and the book. The book opens by quoting Holly Golightly saying "The only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and to go Tiffany's."
-Katie Davidson

Runway to Retail: Tutu's

Balmain

The fashion world's latest inspiration comes from the stage. Think Carrie Bradshaw in the opening credits for Sex and the City. That's right! Tutu's are being debuted in all the hottest designers' collections. Everyone from Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garcons and Robert Rodriguez to Ralph Lauren, Balmain and Jason Wu have jumped on the Tutu bandwagon. These fairy-like outfits are not just for ballerinas, and they will be hitting stores like H&M in a few weeks.
-Katherine Mingey

Whitney Port in The City

MTV's The Hills star, Whitney Port, has packed her bags and left the year-round sunny LA to move to New York City. Whitney, who first appeared as Lauren Conrad's friend and work colleague at Teen Vogue, has become a favorite character on the reality show. However, she has moved on to the Big City to star in her own show, The City. After much speculation, the show has started shooting Whitney around Manhattan.

The City will follow Whitney on her big bi-coastal move and her transition into a new fashion job. She's trading in her Teen Vogue badge to join the already legendary designer Diane von Furstenberg.

In addition to working hard, we're sure Whitney will be playing very hard as well. She has already been seen having dinner with a mystery man, and out at night. We're ready for a whole new set of drama and fashion… and some behind the scene looks at new DVF looks!

-Kelsey Bristow

Lakme Fashion Week: Day One

Every fall around this time in October, Chicago experiences Indian Summer. The last bit of warmth and sunny sparkle left over before the cold winter sets in. All the while, Lakme Fashion Week is creating a real Indian Summer in India with fashions all the way into next spring. Monday, October 20, 2008 kicked off day one of Lakme Fashion Week at the National Center of Performing Arts in Mumbai. Talented designers showcased hot designs that made us all nostalgic for the hot summer sun. So forget winter, and keep up with Lakme Fashion Week all week long from October 20 -24, 2008.

Nachiket Barve manipulated his fabrics into colorful geometric masterpieces for his Spring/Summer 2009 collection. The beautifully bright and lovely draped combinations are enough to give any woman the confidence to make a great fashion statements for seasons to come.

Nikasha Tawadey muted colors and played up flowing volume for her “Shisheer” collection Spring/Summer 2009. The “Big Look” line will keep wearers chic and cool from hot summer days to sweltering summer nights.

Nachiket Barve

Krishna Mehta pumped vibrant colors into her “Sunrise in the Desert Sands” Spring/Summer 2009 collection. The collection was one of bold hues and iridescent tones mixed into hand woven and embellished western silhouettes. The highlight of the show featured actor Samir Dattani in a silk sherwani and TV turned Bollywood star, Prachi Desai in a red long chiffon gown on the runway.

Narendar Kumar and Sunsilk created the hair style and fashion fantasy for the Lakme Fashion Week. Global hair expert for Sunsilk from the UK, Andrew Barton, featured curls, straight, and extremely layered styles for Narendar’s latest label “Nari Nari”, that targets the trendy young women of the country.
-Jackie Medler

Heidi Montag at Manor

Heidi Montag (of MTV’s The Hills) and her boyfriend Spencer Pratt made a Chicago appearance last Wednesday at Manor nightclub in honor of breast cancer awareness.

Isaac Mizrahi in Chicago for Book Signing

Isaac Mizrahi is having a book signing tonight starting at 7pm at the Borders on State Street. Borders will host the twenty-year fashion veteran’s discussion and signing for his latest publication: “How to Have Style”. Isaac’s book is inspired by real-world chic for real women. Isaac Mizrahi unleashes his award winning flair by encouraging women to find their own sense of style from what inspires them.
-Jackie Medler

Chanel Mobile Art

The fashion wonder that is Chanel has entered a new realm and has taken the fashion world one step farther than it ever has gone. Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld collaborated with architect Zaha Hadid to create a mobile exhibit that travels from city to city and continent to continent. Now the exhibit is being constructed in New York City's Central Park.

The exhibit will feature displays by artists all with the inspiration of the iconic Chanel quilted bag designed by Coco herself in 1955. Still a fashion staple today, the bag inspired diverse and unique displays which will make you think of Chanel, and fashion in general, in a whole new way. A loaned MP3 player will take you on a 35 minute tour of the exhibit so you do not miss any fabulous details.

The Chanel Mobile Art exhibit will be in Central Park from October 20 to November 9. Tickets are available at the onsite box office for same day ticketing. Oh, I forgot to mention – tickets are free.

If you are in the New York area or have always fawned over Chanel, this exhibit is a must see!
-Kelsey Bristow

Factio Magazine's Fall Issue Launch Party and Dismero Presentation

Robin Balbo, Dismero's Andy D'Auria and JaDon Mendenhall

Dismero fell hard for Factio Magazine this Fall. The Factio Magazine fall Issue launch party at gallery space 4 Art in the Chicago Art District brought real fashion ads to life in hosting Dismero’s latest fashion shoot with designer and founder Andy D'Auria, Italian photographer Marco Pedde and Alessandro Cantoni, Dismero's art director from Italy. Guests enjoyed the first unedited views of the exclusive spread. The party was dotted with beautiful models in the latest Dismero clothing and makeup by the new head of Ulta on State Street, David Barnett – formerly of the John Barret Salon at Bergdorf Goodman. Andy D’Auria couldn’t help himself around all the beautiful guests as he pulled women one by one into the dressing room so that they too could model his new line. Fig Media DJ Megan Taylor shook up the space with cool euro tunes as guests enjoyed an assortment of designer sushi catered by Kohan Restaurant and deliciously sweet drinks accented with rock candies by Hpnotiq. Guests brimmed with goodies on their way home, receiving gift bags with Dismero t-shirts, Factio Magazine’s fall issue, and gift certificates. If you missed out, don’t worry; just make sure to pick up the latest issue of Factio Magazine for yourself!
-Jackie Medler

photos by Alyssa Blanchard