“I don’t think it will really sink in until tonight when my girlfriend and I get home,” Laricks told WWD. “We will probably order in a pizza and go through all the e-mails. I can’t wait to see all the messages on Facebook and Twitter.”

H&M will carry Laricks’ 10-piece capsule collection online and in 101 of its stores in the US while Macy’s says online sales are already ahead of schedule and Laricks’ line will be available in over 100 of its locations. Saks for its part is “very pleased” with early sell-throughs of the collection.

Laricks taped the finale last summer and had to keep mum on the outcome since then. Before her big win, she was a teacher for ten years and maintains that the best part about winning are the reactions she gets from former students: “Most of them say, ‘Wow, Miss Laricks — wow!’ That makes up for all the times they told me I had crazy hair in class.” [WWD, sub req'd]

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The Christopher Kane shoes that Saks proclaims obsession with range from $570-$655! Unacceptable.

What does Saks say about them? “Flat. Cushioned. Comfortable.” All correct, I’m sure. “The Great Scot’s High-Fashion” wrong “answer to the heel is here.” That’s one wise-ass answer. “Call us surprised. And obsessed.” Surprised, indeed.

Where are you Solestruck? Can you help us rid the world of these ugly shoes?!

Now. [Deep breath] Enough of my beat-around-the-bush opinions. Would you wear ‘em?

20 minutes after the show aired, H&M’s website sold out of a minidress by Sarah Parrott that retailed for $19.95 and a $49.95 men’s blazer by Nzimiro Oputa.

By Wednesday morning at 9:30, Saks.com had been wiped clean of Orly Shani’s convertible skirt, going for a comparatively hefty price of $350, with sales reportedly going well in its 49 stores.

Meanwhile, Macy’s had been carrying Lizzie Parker’s $79 tunic, Edmond Newton’s $110 cocktail dress and Nikki Poulos’ $89 kimono-sleeve caftan — which, by the gay, is my new drag name — exclusively online and at its Herald Square location, most of which was plucked up by eager viewers.

Whether any of these designers will become a household name seems unlikely, especially since the show has been nearly universally reviled and the designs deemed “soulless at best” by none other than Women’s Wear Daily. But with NBC, what’s good isn’t always popular and what’s bad isn’t always burned to the ground before inflicting further harm onto society. [WWD]

Using only two colors, this beauty shot from the Miu Miu Fall 2011 show is a good example of how to quickly master this trend at home. Keep clicking for the three simple steps.

Start by applying two coats of your favorite bold lipstick. If you desire, use a liner to dramatize the end result. You can have fun with this step - purples, pinks, oranges and reds are all encouraged. We love Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Fire.

Nude lipstick can be scary, but don't be afraid to use something more matte and neutral than you're used to. Apply this hue on top of the bright color, in the middle of your pout. MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Myth will get the job done. Lightly blend the edges of the two colors together with your finger tip to give that genuine ombre effect.

Adding a high-shine, clear gloss to the center of the lips further enhances the ombre effect by producing that sexy, pouty look we're constantly trying to achieve. Bobbi Brown Crystal Lip Gloss is a classic go-to.

Flaming at the heels, the snakeskin just kisses at the toes.

If you're more of a platform kinda gal, try these with the cutout ankle space and peep toe. Hopefully the giant wood doesn't intimidate your man.

The heel-less platform takes on a strappy deco that kicks up a sexy spring.

Men buy ladies roses as a romantic gesture. But really it's because roses are an aphrodisiac for men. That said, these Loubs should light up his libido.

Give him a pump of snakeskin on your toes.

Go nude... making him think of later on.

A cloggish peep toe stiletto with a thin snakeskin ankle strap and sharp heel will make him go b a n a n a s.

Tickle your tassel turquoise in this spiky strapped heel.

X marks the spot in blue suede and a sharp heel.

Barney’s Prediction: Give them the extremes of a giant 70′s platform chunk and/or a balls-of-the-feet to the ground 90′s stiletto.

Word from the front line: “We are seeing a shift toward a 1990s-inspired, single-sole pump silhouette à la Manolo Blahnik. Celine introduced a new take on the platform shoe, Alexander Wang showed great novelty in his lug-sole monk-strap oxfords, and Prada embraced a 1970s-inspired mule with a chunkier heel. And, of course, Christian Louboutin always embraces and even creates many of the key shoe trends each season.” Amanda Brooks, Fashion Director

Prediction: Give them the extremes of a giant 70's platform chunk and/or a balls-of-the-feet to the ground 90's stiletto. On the front line: “We are seeing a shift toward a 1990s-inspired, single-sole pump silhouette à la Manolo BlahnikCeline introduced a new take on the platform shoe, Alexander Wang showed great novelty in his lug-sole monk-strap oxfords, and Prada embraced a 1970s-inspired mule with a chunkier heel. And, of course, Christian Louboutin always embraces and even creates many of the key shoe trends each season.” - Amanda Brooks, Fashion Director

Photo: Holy Moly

Nighttime shopping has grown in popularity, with order volumes peaking around 8 pm and the number of orders between 9 pm and midnight increasing from previous years. On eBay, the busiest time of day is between 6:30 pm and 10:30 pm, when the customer is allegedly in a “good mood” (read: has had a few).  Gilte Group has added more sales beginning at 9 pm in response to higher traffic while retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Loews and Saks inundate customers’ email inboxes with special offers and deals throughout the night and into the early morning.

It speaks to logic that people are less tight with the purse strings after they’ve tied one on; when that sequined jumpsuit you’ve been eyeing for the past month or so suddenly seems like a life or death purchase and you just say “to hell with it” and add it to your cart. The article is quick to point out that drunk shopping in stores is more rare than online, but speaking from personal experience, there’s nothing better than walking into an H&M with a cocktail in hand and daring the salesgirl to say something to you. And on the rare occasion they do, that’s when you throw both a violent tantrum and your drink in their insolent faces. [NYT]

Photo: Holy Moly

Featuring a Mauverina Tana Lawn fabric exterior and classic vintage paper lining, this is perfect for the collector in your life.

The perfect bag for a weekend getaway, your gal will appreciate it's slightly masculine touch.

You may not understand her obsession with furry bags, but you can scratch the fabulous itch with this delightful accessory.

For the gal who remembers the classifieds pre-Craigslist, protect her technology, throwback style.

Protect your woman's arms from the winter chill with these black, ultra toasty gloves. Especially great if she loves capes.

The gift that keeps on giving (literally, it never ends) all winter long.

This limited edition fragrance is for both of you to enjoy - the warm and spicy floral notes are ultimately sensual.

Pyramid studs will lend a little style to her morning commute.

Nothing says "I love you" like leather. Buy your girl something she'll actually wear this year.

Forget the pearl necklace - give your lady purple and navy crystals.

Tis the season to fill her apartment with seasonal scents. Try our favorite, Clementine & Clove, for a sweet-spicy mix.

These long-lasting, glittery hues will make her fingers pretty for the engagement ring. Just kidding...

Give her some luxurious wrist candy, designed with a magical trio of sterling silver, 18K gold and diamonds.

All the girls at the party, look at that body of work – the line is comprised of 15 pieces ranging from coats, jackets, vests, scarves, gloves and other accessories.

It’s out now, available in the Fur Salon of select Saks Fifth Avenue, and Maximilian Fur Salon at select Bloomingdales.

Suede and nylon come together for a lightweight, retro shoe designed exclusively for Urban Outfitters.

Choose a geometric design in either black and white or purple and orange from this Marimekko x Converse collaboration.

We love our Nike hi tops, especially this peachy pink, mesh-sided version.

An adorable collaboration with Converse All-Star, we can't get enough of this heart-faced logo.

Only for the haute headed, these silvery glittered and studded sneaks are as luxurious as they are comfy.

For the girly girl with a happy-go-lucky personality, Especially Escada will allow your charming self to sparkle. Notes of Pear, Rose and Ylang Ylang are feminine and breezily modern.

Glamorous, sensual, provocative - three words to describe the woman wearing Dolce & Gabbana The One Lace Edition. Available for a limited time, get the seductive combination of Jasmine, Peach, Plum and Amber notes before it's gone.

Go on a power trip with Gucci Guilty, a fragrance for the bold, independent woman with a sexy edge. Rich notes of Mandarin, Pink Pepper, Amber and Patchouli create a young and stylish scent, just like its Italian namesake.

Glamorous, sophisticated and elegant is the woman who wears Tom Ford. The same must be said for Violet Blonde, a worldly fragrance with notes of Violet Leaf, Italian Mandarin, Baie Rose and Cedarwood Orpur.

For the classically feminine woman with a free spirit, DIANE will envelope the body and stay with you all the day through. Notes of Frangipani, Violet and Myrrh are powerfully seductive.

You know a good sole when you see one. This 4 and a half incher sends you towering with the feel of a 2 inch slope. The two-toned leads to many multiple uses, so a pair of these will last. That's a lot of math here, but it all adds up to NEED IT NOW!

Open creeper lace ups beg a thick sock and a ski bunny hat for a light early winter look.

With a shorter heel than we normally recommend, this slight pump will have you covering ground in this multi textured suede and stretch.

Today marks the unveiling of these 25 incredibly sexy pairs of shoes that you can vote on every day for the next 25 days. Each time you vote for your favorite, you’ll gain another contest entry for the $10,000 Saks gift card. Check out WWD.com/sexyshoes and place your vote. Can you guess which shoe FashionIndie picked today?

We love these Diego Dolcini leather, satin and suede sandals with metal stilettos and feathered cuffs. Which is your favorite?

For more information on the 2011 Sexy Shoes Contest, ask me on Twitter @CrystlMeatballs.

We love the idea of just randomly store hopping but in all honesty there leaves a huge place for wack events. Trust us if you go to any of these events below you’re surely going to have a good time. You might event spot an editor or two. (Or three according to this.)

Where: Saks (Midtown)
Why: Umm have you seen their menu? It’s pretty sick.

Where: French Connection (Soho)
Why: One of our Indie fave popstars Neon Hitch will be performing at 9PM.

Where: Diane Von Furstenburg (Meatpacking)
Why: Estelle will be performing. Nuff said.

Where: A|X Armani Exchange (Soho)
Why: You get to customize your own FNO shirt. Not to mention our fave vodka, Svedka, will be pouring cocktails.

WHERE: Dior (Midtown East)
Why: Complimentary makeovers by Dior Celebrity Makeup Artist Ricky Wilson

Where: Raoul @ Montmatre (Columbus Circle)
Why: Mini treatments and organic cookies.

Where: Atrium (Soho)
Why: Tacos and tequila. (2 of our favorite things.)

Where: Macy’s (Herald Square)
Why: Celeb filled atmosphere including Coco Rocha, DJ Samantha Ronson, Anna Dello Russo,& Kelly Rowland among others.

Where: Dolce & Gabbana (Midtown East)
Why: Justin (freaking!) Bieber

Neighborhood with the best events collectively : Meatpacking, Soho, & Midtown East.

Hope this helped and have a fun FNO!

The Wall Street Journal’s Personal Journal reported on Manhattan’s super rich fashionistas aka women in the Saks Fifth Avenue personal shopping program. Saks personal shopper Fay Ricotta leaked the perks of being a client including:  access to brands the store doesn’t even carry like Lanvin, ordering looks directly off the runway, requesting that Chanel lengthen a hemline (oh mon dieu!), and ensuring that there are no double sells on certain outfits.  Each client spends an estimated $150-200k per year on clothes, and Fay alone has 27 clients (simple math brings her commission to a cut of a cool $5.4million).  This chic group of ladies is even exclusive to other members of the super rich: you have to go through an interview process to even be considered as a client.  Needless to say, we’ll continue to report on this while we save up our pennies for that exclusive Lanvin… getting there in about 90 years.

“This is an important milestone for me – to bring my design sensibility to a larger demographic of women who seek glamorous, modern eveningwear,” says designer Monique Lhuillier.

The looks range from adorable metallic frocks to long and dramatic lace pieces.

The ML Monique Lhuillier collection will include cocktail dresses starting at $398 and evening gowns starting at $498 and are available to purchase at Saks.com right now.

BROCHU WALKER retails between $115 – $565 and is available at Saks, Shopbop and more. You can learn more about the brand on their website.

- Prada‘s IPO was initially valued at $9.5 billion but that number’s looking more along the lines of $15 billion. [WWD]

- Besides starring in early 90s sitcoms, Ashley Olsen and I have something in common. According to one half of The Row: “I don’t like being around a lot of people, I don’t like being in crowds….” Join the club, Ash. Except I disbanded the club because there were too many people in it. [Style.com]

- Models without make-up, airbrushing or retouching are still very much…models. [Models.com]

- Zoeheads can go bananas for Rachel Zoe‘s clothing line in July when it hits the shelves and racks of Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Intermix and Selfridges. [The Cut]

- Lady Gaga‘s “Glam This Way” project with MAC Viva Glam will allow her little monsters to upload photos of themselves which in turn will be used in a gown created by Nicola Formichetti to be worn by the Lady this fall. [Us Mag]

Watch and listen after the jump. And find what Kristin Chenoweth is wearing these days. 

Enjoy the Wicked voice of Kristin Chenoweth singing The Sound of Music to honor Montblanc and its namesake, the tallest mountain range in the Swiss Alps.

We caught up with Kristin Chenoweth after her tear-inducing performance.

What’s your favorite thing to wear right now?
Very comfortable clothes. I’m really into Proenza [Schouler] right now. I just wore a beautiful shift dress by Joie on Oprah two days ago.

Wow! What was that like being on Oprah?!
Crazy! My head’s not even… It’s still in a cloud. It was a very special moment in my life.

You are such a phenomenal talent. How does it feel to be on the stage?
Always on a stage of any kind is a blessing. Because I get so much from the audience and hopefully I can give back. It’s awesome.

Loving this white pocketed number. Who are you wearing tonight?
Theory! I’m all over the map. From Diane Von Furstenberg to Theory. I go anywhere that’s simple and looks good on me. That’s where I go.

Well she’s beautiful, it must not be very difficult.

The “Tribute to Mont Blanc” white collection will be available exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC until May 29th, with all proceeds going to conserve the mountain range.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Kristin Chenoweth and Montblanc Celebrate the Launch of Exclusive "Tribute to the Montblanc Collection" at Saks Fifth Avenue on May 19, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Montblanc)

I had the honor of meeting Stella McCartney before the event really started – the Liv of the party hadn’t arrived yet. Determined to talk to her, I persisted past the determinedly protective security PR and introduced myself. Nerves almost got the better of me as I toldher that while I’m a Fashion Editor, I’m also a designer and born Beatles fan. Her smile proved she is a kind, beautiful soul. Conversation ebbed into how when she first began, there was much hoopla surrounding her choice to be completely animal and eco friendly. It was such a bizarre choice 10 years ago. Now, designers are faced with the issue of how to make eco-friendliness a non-issue by just making it an innate part of the process and letting the clothing speak for itself.  After a minute’s time talking on sustainability with Stella McCartney, she got whisked away to retrieve Liv Tyler. Don’t fret – that was not the last she saw of me.

I thus busied myself with the touch of her squeezably soft wools, the gold wovens, and the cucumber cocktails until their return.

I eventually caught up with Liv Tyler and chatted up what we’re feeling in fashion right now, and of course about Stella. By the way, she is even more elegantly stunning in person than in any pictures or movies.

What trends are you loving this season?

“I would say I’m very not hip to knowing what’s in because I only follow my heart, what I like. I don’t keep up with [magazines]. I read magazines when I can, and I see pieces when I walk by them in a store. I have more of a specific eye when it comes to [shopping]. Like, I could come to this place and in about 4 minutes I could say exactly what I want and how I would put it together.”

What is your heart saying for fashion right now, within yourself?

“I’m really happy to be in this [Stella McCartney] dress. I feel like a fem-bot. Everything’s in place.  I’m really happy in it right now. Too bad I can only wear it once because I had my picture taken in it about 300 times.”

I think we all feel that way with Facebook. That’s why I like separates.

“I love separates. I live in Wolford tights and Lanvin flats. And then whatever else I can come up with. I really love shorts and rompers, but with tights. Little skirts and blouses and t-shirts. I definitely like separates right now.”

How much Stella do you think you have in your closet?

“Not a crazy amount, but the pieces last forever. They don’t go away. I have a couple of jackets that I’ve had for 6 years. I have a suit from when she was at Chloé. They’re so well made and so chic and powerful that they transcend trends… I always feel like it’s the grownup in me. I have all these different sections of my closet. The one section where most of my Stella things are, is for when I have a meeting, or when I want to feel like a woman.”

Now there’s no way I would have left without saying so long to Stella. And I wanted to get a quote for my all my Indies. At the end of a press line longer than the train on André Leon Talley‘s Met Gala gown, I squeezed in, nearly glamouring the PR that just kicked three girls off the line ahead of me, and got to ask one question. Here goes:

I was just writing today about how important the oversized blazer is.

“Oh, cool!”

I wanted to know how you came up with it. What’s your reasoning behind it?

“I guess I’m always borrowing my boyfriend’s jackets, and it’s… my husband, sorry! It just gives a bit more attitude.”

So maybe I made her a little tongue tied, too? Regardless, Stella McCartney is a graceful and talented woman who has not only come from great legacy, but is creating her own.

< > at Saks Fifth Avenue on May 4, 2011 in New York City.

The Suit: Everyone knows that the suit makes the man and that’s why the Don wouldn’t be caught dead not wearing one. There are many suits that a guy can wear that will carry the same presence. For the more conservative exec a plain black suit that fits well is always recommended and adding a pinstripe in your repertoire will have people appreciating you attention to detail. For a bolder guy a suits with materials that have a little sheen are great and if you really want to turn head goes with a color like cranberry. (SEE: Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, Brooks Brothers & Topman)

The Shirt: The same rules apply for the shirt as it did for the suit. You rarely see Donald on Celebrity Apprentice wearing a non solid color (or white for that matter) shirt. To make this look your own bust out this this mindset and go for your patterns. It’s always cool when you take your jacket off and there is a completely new look there. (SEE: Bloomindale’s, Saks, & Mr. Porter)

The Tie: When it comes to style I feel like if you walked into Trump Towers without a tie you would be fired immediately. The Trump man keeps it pretty simple with his neck wear. To add some spice go for a tie with patterns or even switch up the texture by adding knit and silk ties to your collection. (SEE: Ties.com, 21MEN, & EXPRESS)

Look Four: Layered and Lace

The Long Lace Skirt: $205

I chose this skirt because it has to be layered, and the lace is insatiable. It’s perfectly narrow at the waist with a zipper, and it flares so naturally at the bottom. Spinning takes great effect in this.

The Nether Layer Ivory Skirt: $145

I went white underneath so that the lace can come alive in contrast. It’s shorter than the lace skirt, so there’s a cloud of mystery by the ankles. The elastic at the waistband makes this piece ultra versatile and the silk makes it super soft.

The Crop Tank Back-Lace: $125

From the front, it is proportioned just right for this skirt, curving up to the top of the hips. The back is made of white lace, covering sheer from nape to waist.

The Plucked Heart Necklace: Pamela Love, $380

She’s the drummer in a band and inspired by everything from medicine to Hieronymus Bosch. She’s making mighty jewelry, rustic, weighty and evocative.

See what else Fashion Indie found at The Reformation in Look 1, Look 2 and Look 3. And visit them yourself!

The Reformation NYC | 143 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002, (646) 448-4925

Photography by Christopher Hall

1. Wear a jazzy surgical mask. Remember when swine flu was all the rage? Everywhere you looked, someone(s) was wearing a surgical mask. These are ugly and sterile, no pun intended. Spice up your look while protecting your immune system with gemstones, colorful patterns or even a different mouth. Samira Boon created her masks because she was tired of seeing the the dreary white variety everywhere. You can be a tiger, gorilla or zipped-lip by snagging one at the Hara Museum Online Shop. The Etsy shop Cheap Champagne offers ruffles and plaids if you want a girlie feel.

2. Lady gloves keep germs at bay. A lady should never leave her house without gloves, how rude! These dandy little dress gloves keep scum from penetrating your precious dermis. Remove them and voila!, it’s like public transportation never happened. Forzieri White Flowered Lace Gloves, Burberry Studded Leather Gloves and Prada Vernice Gloves are all fabulous options.

3. Keep hand sanitizer with you at ALL TIMES. Don’t even think about re-applying lip gloss without getting subway grime off your fingers first. Have one in your bag for easy grabbing and another on your desk so you can sanitize before touching your keyboard. Hugo Naturals Travel Size French Lavender Organic Hand Sanitizer fits inside any bag and Jurlique Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer cleanses hands while keeping them moisturized.

How do you keep germs at bay on public transportation?

girl waiting for new york city subway train

Right before Fashion Week “officially” commenced Fashion Indie was invited to the THEIA Fall 2011 presentation.We were treated to a lovely presentation of the collection by Creative Director, Don O’Neill. The collection was inspired by the Greek god Theia who possessed  the incredible power of light. You can see the inspiration of this through the glimmering designs on the dresses. All of the dresses from the cocktail frocks to the full length gowns were giving a sense of beauty, elegance, and pizazz. The girl who wears a THEIA dress is bound to be noticed the second she steps into a room.

The best part of the presentation had to be seeing the original sketches of the collection. It is completely fascinating to see how a dress goes from paper to real life.

From the looks of the collection it wouldn’t be surprising to see a lot of the dresses hitting the red carpets this season.

“We have upgraded our website to high-fashion status with the finest photography and styling,” ROMYGOLD designers and founders, Lisa Goldstein and Romy Jagid said. “Our new look combines the chic uptown girl with downtown cool. In keeping with our sophisticated yet edgy designs, high-end leathers and fashion forward clientele, we created a cleaner and more modern logo that remains reminiscent of the original one.”

Since the original launch in 2009, ROMYGOLD has garnered attention from some of Hollywood’s most famous names such as Fergie, Selena Gomez, and Kim Kardashian and has been picked up by retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Intermix. Each bag combines style, everlasting shapes, subtle detail and the highest quality, distressed and embossed leathers.

Saks Fifth Ave upped the ante in Holiday shows with their 3D awe-inspiring celebration, Snowflake and the Bubble.

Contrary to Brad Pitt’s line in Fight Club, Saks says “You ARE a unique and beautiful snowflake.”

Saks followed in Ralph Lauren’s footsteps, offering a 3D live production displayed on its building’s wall. Celebrities watched, Patti LaBelle sang, and snowflakes made sweet, sweet Holiday love.

See the exhibition here:

Kicking off the holiday season, 72,000 Philips LED lights illuminate the Saks Fifth Avenue ?Snowflake Spectacle? light show debuting to the public Tues., Nov. 23, 2004, in conjunction with the unveiling of the Saks holiday windows in New York. Millions of New Yorkers and tourists are expected to enjoy the nightly display - set to a modern rendition of ?Carol of the Bells? - running every half hour in the evenings throughout the holiday season. On hand to launch the event were New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Philips Lighting President and CEO Erik Bouts, Saks Chairman and CEO Fred Wilson, author James Patterson and designer Oscar de la Renta. (Robin Weiner/U.S. Newswire)

The event was well worth waking up at 7AM. Editors got to mingle with each other and were served a delicious breakfast. Everyone also got an opportunity to check out her holiday bags which are beautiful. Check out some pictures of the events below.

Thanks to Grease & Glamour for providing us with these great pictures.

So for all of you Gossip Girl lovers out there who saw Jenny Humphrey make an appearance on last night’s episode aka The Pretty Reckless’ lead singer TAYLOR MOMSEN you must have noticed her rocking Donna Karan’s Black Micro Tulle Net Small Net Pantyhose!!

I know longest name ever but as a very serious tights collector these are wicked! Everyone knows Donna Karan pantyhose are an essential to complete any fall layered look!

Come on out…party in the streets. New York City like it was in the 1970's.

Nothing is garnering more media attention than Fashion’s Night Out. Not the Oscars, the MTV Music Awards, New York Fashion Week, Snooki. Nothing.  When we look at what drove Anna Wintour to devise one of the greatest marketing plans on Earth, we see at the core, a beautiful, well-intended, generous, spirited gem of an idea. “Bring people back to the stores.” Funny, that when George Bush said the same thing after 9-11, that people should just “Go Shopping”, it was met with mixed emotions. Actually, Democrats were apoplectic. But if you think about it…it was a good idea. When is retail therapy not a good idea? Sometimes Democrats really need to get their heads out of their keasters because shopping is way more fun that rallying around sensitive issues. When Bushy again suggested that we “Go Shopping” in 2006 when the economy started dipping…a.k.a. before the world as we know it changed…it was met with jeers and upturned noses about how out of touch he was with the people. In my many years on Earth, seems to me that most presidents are out of touch with the people. Politicians are not my touchstone of reality. Shopping is. Because when you are shopping, you are in a transcendental state of bliss and joy. This time is dedicated solely to you. Who cares what war is on, or how unattended our borders are, or whether gays can get married in California? I love that jacket and I need it now!

The slogan for Fashion's Night Out.

On the pre-eve of Fashion’s Night Out, I am overwhelmed at the amount of options there are for consumers to experience. My one question is, why can’t retailers do this more than once a year? OK, maybe not as full scale tilt as this one…but celebrating and shopping seems like something that makes sense to do year round. I know there are endless efforts at retail to promote foot traffic…but there is something special in the Fashion’s Night Out air that really works. That “Anna Touch” is something that is really hard to pin point or bottle. (And I know Ms. Wintour has enough sense not to create Anna…the Fragrance). The Second Annual Fashion Night Out will bring throngs of people to Bloomingdale’s, Meatpacking District, Noho, Soho, Boho (does that even exist?), Madison Avenue, Fifth Avenue, 57th Street, Bleecker Street, Saks, and…I’m there. Yup…I am literally going to every single Fashion’s Night Out event, donning my Balenciaga Army Boots and marching up and down the city streets peeping my head in every venue that is listed on the Fashion’s Night Out website. And on September 11, in honor of the fallen, I will be still and solemn for Fashion’s Night In.

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LINK LOVE: NY Mag

Z Spoke is the name of Zac Posen’s new line launching at Saks this spring. The 60 piece collection starts at $78.

Read more on Fashionista

Goodbye Virgin Megastore, hello Nordstrom Rack! In addition to the discounts offered at Filene’s Basement and DSW, Union Square is making a name as the recession battle capital with the first branch of Nordstrom to open in New York City! Doors are slated to open sometime next spring providing shoppers with 50%-60% discounts on the same brands that Nordstrom carries. Alright Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney’s and Bergdorf Goodman, you better present some macho sales or Nordstrom is going to eat you alive! 

Thanks NY Mag! 

When I visited Harrods in London I was overwhelmed by the number of beautiful women wearing plain black abayas with multiple shopping bags in their hands. Looking like Cher from Clueless after shopping on daddies credit card, I couldn’t help but wonder why they were buying all these beautiful expensive clothes if they must wear abayas over them in public anyway. Thankfully, designers are posing this same question and answering it with a beautiful bang: John Galliano, Nina Ricci, Blumarine and Alberta Feretti have all designed couture Abayas. Ready-to-wear versions of the abaya’s will be on sale at the Saudi Arabian location of SAKS, making life a little more fashionable.

SOURCE: Cut Blog via Telegraph UK

Although Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada’s Fall 2009 collection might not exactly be ready to wear, it certainly brought some fun to the runway, and that, we’re all ready for! Think life-size household objects, facial features and geometric shapes as the focus for the collection. A giant birdcage skirt, a dress embellished with hearts and ants, an eyeball headpiece, a dress of drawers, a sunny-side up egg clutch and an umbrella suit were some of the quirky pieces that danced down the runway. The collection was a beautiful addition to de la Prada’s odd, yet whimsical, colorful aesthetic. It might not be available at Saks anytime soon, but the costumey pieces set the bar high for larger than life fashion. 

GALLERY: RUNWAY RUNDOWN: Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada Fall 2009

LINKAGE: Fashion Copious 

To learn more about Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, visit her website here!

One of the nations largest luxury retailer is getting ready to give the boot to 1,100 corporate and store employees. It’s a necessary cut considering their stagnant sales and the economy’s growing ability to thoroughly kick everyones ass.

LINKAGE: Saks Lays Off 9% of Work Force

Damn you Saks!!! You got me, okay you fucking got me. I completely blew my load early and jumped your bones when you told me 50% was the biggest sale of your so called season. Well you won’t get me again, I’m holding out till you’re giving it away…

Take advantage of the ultra-sale going on at Saks Fifth Avenue right now. Designer clothes, shoes, and accessories are up to 80 percent off. That’s right, 80 percent. 611 Fifth Ave., at 50th St. (212-753-4000); Mon.–Fri. (10–8), Sat. (10–7), Sun. (noon–7).

SOURCE: NYMag