Richard Chai Love may be Chai’s attempt at lower priced fashion design, but had you not told me this was so, I’d have believed it to be another high-end collection. Love Spring 2010 may be cheaper than the average collection but it certainly doesn’t skimp on the details. Casual blazers, slouchy draw-string pants and subtle florals made their catwalk premier styled very simply but stylishly. As a more feminine version of the androgyny trend, Love caters to the girly girls and those who can rock the masculine looks.

GALLERY: RUNWAY RUNDOWN: Richard Chai Love Spring 2010

Thanks Style!

Are you always looking for the perfect white tee? Tired of shopping at American Apparel? Topman introduces the White Tee Project.

Topman has invited Richard Chai, Juun J., J.W. Anderson, Phillip Lim, Christopher Shannon, and Henry Holland to reinterpret the classic white tee; adjusted seams, proportions, and even prints. The collection  available for purchase on May 28, 2009.

LINKAGE: thefashionisto

TRESemmé signed on as the official haircare sponsor of this year’s spring shows for NYC Fashion Week granting the
brand with backstage access at one of the industry’s biggest events. TRESemmé Celebrity Stylist Nathaniel Hawkins, who led the hair teams for Tracy Reese and Cynthia Rowley, dishes his secrets for getting the look.

“This season, we saw a return to simple, yet beautiful hair. Whether the look of the show was
soft and feminine or exhibited more of an edge, the common thread remained the hair looks -
face flattering and pretty. And the best thing about these styles is that they are easy to achieve
with the right products and tools,” says Hawkins.

Here are the trends, right off the runways, courtesy of TRESemmé:

Wave of Independence
“Gone are the days of binding curls and waves. This season, it is all about laid back, yet feminine glamour,” adds Hawkins. Rachel Roy, L’Wren Scott, Rebecca Taylor, Diane von Furstenberg and Anna Sui all sent this look down their runways. To get these hot waves:

1. Scrunch TRESemmé Flawless Curls Curl Hydration Lotion Crème into damp hair.

2. Blow dry the hair with a diffuser using the fingers or let it dry naturally.

3. Part hair evenly down the middle and finger comb each side into a ponytail.

4. Taking each ponytail, twist the lengths of the hair until it starts to twist onto itself,
creating a bun on each side of the head; secure each bun with a hair pin.

5. Using the diffuser, dry each bun and let the hair sit for 20 minutes.

6. Remove the pins and finger comb hair, creating beautiful, tousled waves.

7. Run a dime-size amount of the TRESemmé Anti-Frizz Secret Styling Crème over the
lengths of the hair to tame flyaways and add shine.

Mixed Up
“A lot of shows this season featured a dual-finish hairstyle with either a mix of shiny and matte or rough and smooth,” notes Hawkins who created such a look for Cynthia Rowley’s show.  Other designers who showcased the look included:  Alexander Wang, Erin Fetherston, Thakoon and Richard Chai.

To copy the ponytail follow these simple steps:
1. Pull hair back into a ponytail using a boar bristle brush

2. Work TRESemmé Anti-Frizz Secret Styling Crème into the hair at the top of the ponytail
but not throughout the lengths of the hair.

3. Spray the mid-shafts and ends of the hair with TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat
Tamer Spray.

4. Blow dry hair against the natural direction of the cuticle to create a rough texture, which
will contrast the sleek, shiny top section of the head.

5. Finish this look with a touch of TRESemmé TRES Two Extra Hold Hair Spray
throughout the ponytail.

Hawkins and the TRESemmé Styling Team tied shiny black ribbon on all of the models at the Cynthia Rowley show to add a touch of glam.

Soft Around the Edges
“Stick straight locks had their moment on the runway, but the look right now is all about smooth hair with some bend and movement,” says Hawkins.  This chic style was seen on the runways of some of fashion’s biggest names including BCBG, Doo.Ri and Donna Karen.  Hawkins loved the way this styled complemented the straight lines at the Herve Leger show.

Getting the look is simple:

1. Apply TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray to hair, followed by a liberal application of TRESemmé Thermal Creations Volumizing Mousse from the roots of the hair to the ends.

2. Blow hair dry with a medium-sized round brush.

3. Spray Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray onto the hair again.

4. Take sections of hair twice the depth of the flatiron plate, pull the iron away from the head to create a slight curvature.

5. Add runway-worthy shine by lightly spraying the TRESemmé No Frizz Shine Spray.

Jonathan Saunders is the newest designer to participate in Target’s Go International. The program, which is designed to deliver the latest styles to female shoppers, has included designers such as Luella Bartley and Rogan Gregory. Richard Chai’s collection is currently available in stores; Saunder’s will launch in October. The discounter also started a limited-edition designer accessories program. For the fall/winter it will include handbag collections by Monica Botkier and Anya Hindmarch, jewelry by Dean Harris and shoes by Kari Sigerson and Miranda Morrison.

Thanks Forbes

Models were looking clean-cut and slapped with a dose of perfection as they strutted for Richard Chai. Richard’s resort collection is composed of colorful outfits that are created to have a sense of a more simplistic nature. When you look at Richard’s clothing they whisper elegance in the best possible way. The pieces still have style in a reserved form. Richard uses a variety of fabrics to prove a point and induce variety into his line. It definitely deserves applause.

Click here to view more of Richard Chai’s collection

Oscar de la Renta Presenting the award to Proenza Schouler

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has announced this year’s 10 contenders for the $200,000 award, which bestows $50,000 for each of two runners-up. Finalists include Albert Q. Swanepoel of Albertus Quartus, Alejandro Ingelmo, indie fave Alexander Wang, Irene Neuwirth, Jason Wu, Juan Carlos Obando, Swaim and Christina Hutson of Obedient Sons and Daughters, John Patrick of Organic, Richard Chai, and Lisa Mayock & Sophie  Buhai of Vena Cava, who were finalists last year as well.

Since its inception in 2003, the program has awarded over $1,000,000 to help build brands like Doo.Ri, Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler (above), Rodarte, Thakoon, Thom Browne and Trovata. The awards will be presented on November 17 at a private dinner in New York.

Really excited about this, crossing our fingers that we may get invited to the dinner…

Really excited about this collection. Lots of purples (my fave color) and you can’t beat designer goods at Target prices. I must say, though, the fabrics look a little drab.

Image Source: NYLON

Once Jovovich-Hawk takes to the skies and Rogan gets his eco-friendly ass out of there, Target will introduce a collection by former Marc Jacob designer Richard Chai.

We’re definitely looking forward to pieces like this one from his Fall 2008 collection hitting the cheap chic retailer soon.

Richard Chai, the acclaimed women’s wear designer, is debuting a men’s line for fall. The move is a first for his almost-four-year-old label, but Chai is in fact quite seasoned in men’s wear, having been creative design director of Tse. Prior to that, he was the design director for Marc Jacobs’ men’s and women’s collections and launched the Marc by Marc Jacobs men’s line.

Whereas his women’s designs are a synthesis of ideas, moods and spirits, Chai says his men’s wear reflects his own style and those of his friends.

“I played a lot with luxe fabrics and distressed them so they feel more approachable,” he says. The line is decidedly more casual than his women’s wear, but also quite technically advanced in construction—especially the knitwear, owing to the expertise he developed at Tse, the cashmere house. One cardigan, for example, goes from jersey to reverse jersey and has subtle shirring down the front.

(via DNR)

This sounds all well and good but we are a bit more excited about Richard’s speculative line for Target. No definites on the line with the house that Mizrahi built, but judging from this young designers womanswear this new menswear collection might be very welcome …