Oscar's PR Manager to Launch Website for Gifts

The public relations manager at Oscar de la Renta, Michelle Lederer, has decided to add entrepreneur to her résumé. She is launching an e-commerce site for special occasion gifts and favors for weddings and other events. Lederer has worked in Oscar de la Renta's publicity department for almost two years and prior to that worked over at Vera Wang.
-Katherine Mingey

Front Row at Fashion at the Park in Dallas

Finally, a fashion show where you don't have to be a 'somebody' to get front row seats!

On October 10 – 16, NorthPark Center's annual Fashion at the Park in Dallas, Texas will have over 600 seats available to all you fashionistas out there who have always wanted to attend.

The annual event will be headlined by a Roberto Cavalli fashion show and Cavalli plans on making a special appearance as well. Other shows include Barneys New York featuring Rodarte; CH Carolina Herrera; Oscar de la Renta; Valentino; Neiman Marcus featuring an appearance by Marc Bouwer; Miss Sixty; Ed Hardy; Dillard's; Macy's; Ted Baker; Bebe; Diesel and Pinto Ranch.

Also to celebrate five years of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund there will be a runway show and appearances by Thakoon Panichgul, Peter Som, and Marchesa's Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig.

But wait, it gets better! Unlike any of the other fashion weeks, if you attend the fashion shows you'll be able to purchase what you saw on the runway! We imagine it will cost you a pretty penny, but still an opportunity of a lifetime!

Tickets go on sale to the public on August 18 at www.northparkcenter.com.
-Katherine Mingey

Changes at Fashion Houses Calvin Klein and Karl Lagerfeld

There are a couple of changes taking place in the fashion houses of Calvin Klein and Karl Lagerfeld this week.

It has been announced that to give the Karl Lagerfeld brand more presence in the United States there is a new director of marketing and public relations, Beth Shapiro.

Jessica Stam in Karl Lagerfeld fall 2008

Shapiro was previously the director of public relations for Marchesa and has held positions at several other fashion companies, which include Alison Brood Public Relations. She will be responsible for directing international communication with licensed partners, as well as overseeing all public relations efforts for the Karl Lagerfeld brand within the United States.

Over at Calvin Klein they have recruited the vice president of communications from Oscar de la Renta, Nacole Snoep.

Karlie Kloss in Calvin Klein fall 2008

Snoep has been working at Oscar de La Renta since 2005 overseeing all product categories, as well as celebrity, media placement and special events. Prior to that, she worked in publicity with Michael Kors, Sergio Rossi and Polo Ralph Lauren.
-Katherine Mingey

Nordstrom's Fall Fashion Preview 2008

Andrew Gn

Oscar de la Renta
Marni

Chicago style scions had a night of fall fashion tonight with a sneak peek of the hottest new looks from Nordstrom. Over 400 guests joined fashionable co-chair and president of Lannon Communications and filled the Chicago History Museum for a sold-out night of crisp autumn collections including Burberry Prorsum, Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Marni, Missoni and Oscar de la Renta. The evening started out with a champagne-filled shopping session in Nordstrom's pop-up boutique created inside the venue where shoppers could skim the racks for warm weather confections of tweed dresses, wool/cashmere coats, mohair jackets and layered sweaters before heading to the tent for the fashion show. A 56-foot runway, enhanced with video and theatrical lighting set the stage for models decked out in Factio favorites - Andrew Gn's black/white tweed coat had a French and girly feel, Nina Ricci's chocolate leather bomber jacket had us channeling James Dean and Oscar de la Renta - oh Oscar, you never disappoint. We loved his grey cashmere knit beaded cardigan, paired with a satin bubble-hem skirt, among many others. "There were so many gorgeous fashions in the Nordstrom Designer Preview, it is hard to pick favorites. Some of the fashions from the show that I am eyeing for myself this fall include a quilted, metallic copper trench from Burberry, a simple black and white tweed dress from Oscar de le Renta with metallic detail and any item from the Peter Som collection - simply fabulous looks that can transition from business meeting to cocktail party, which I always need," said Carrie Lannon.

The event raised $70,000 for the Chicago Historical Society's Costume Council. Nordstrom is located at 55 East Grand Avenue in Chicago, shop online at NORDSTROM.com.

Guests took home a fashionable serving plate specially designed by artist R. Toledo (which we look forward to adding to our collection of cups, plates and teapots from previous years).
-Melissa Maynard

Co-Chair Carrie Lannon was a scene stealer in Donna Karan

"I’m in love with Donna Karan this season. The over-size collared coats are really amazing and the chiffon dresses (the ones that plunged dangerously low!) were absolutely stunning. It was the perfect mix of high and low and the jewel toned color palette is so sophisticated and easy on the eyes," said D. Graham Kostic, Fashion Associate of Modern Luxury Magazines and Host of Glossed and Found.

Designer Maria Pinto always looks stunning

We love Kimberly Burt's See by Chloe dress just bursting with color, and her classic beige Kate Spade pumps, accented with a hot pink YSL clutch

"The show was fantastic! I really loved the collection Missoni showed, in particular the black reversible "Norma" coat and the charcaol knit "Beatrys" cardigan. I also loved Marc Jacobs' taupe off-should coat. And I just adored the Oscar de la Renta black silk faille gown with the gold leaf embroidery - spectacular!"
Kimberly Burt

White Haute: looking crisp in summer white

Check out the videos to see for yourself...

Nina Ricci


Missoni


Oscar de la Renta


Photos and video by Factio Media

iGoogle gets Tailored with Jeff Koons, Oscar de la Renta

Even web pages are becoming more fashionable. Google has created iGoogle, which allows people to personalize their home pages. After teaming up with 70 taste makers, from artist Jeff Koons to fashion mainstays like Oscar de la Renta, Tory Burch and Diane von Furstenberg, the web is becoming a more, shall we say, tailored place. There will be a private launch party tonight in New York at One Little West 12th Street to celebrate the launch.