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    Fashion Week: Duckie Brown

    The duo behind Duckie Brown, Steven Cox and Daniel Silver, have a knack for making finding a keen point of view. Some might say that their fondness of mis-matched prints and cropped pants are a bit excessive, especially for men’s fashion. We say, bring it on. The best part is that the designers are sticklers for perfect tailoring and their collections are handmade. Now, that makes all the difference.

    Duckie Brown Spring 2011

    Who is the customer: Men looking for an unique modern spin on the “hipster” look.

    Why buy: The collection is styled wonderfully. Pieces can be worn
    as seen on the runway or mixed with your current wardrobe. The clothes are both wearable & practical.

    What to buy: The print ankle pants are iconic.

    Bypass: The plaid pieces. Too much plaid is just, well, too much.

    Overall contribution to fashion: Duckie Brown gives men a chic spin on the “hipster” trend. From the collection we get some pluralist pieces and some drastic prints. The collection is practical and actually ready-to-wear!

    Reporting by Erin Jeen
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    Fashion Week: Tadashi Shoji

    Tadashi is a Japanese designer who started his career as a celebrity costume designer. His namesake collection specializes in affordable special occasion dresses, which are carried in Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus & Nordstrom.

    Tadashi Shoji Spring 2011

    Who is the customer: Women seeking affordable special occasion dresses

    Why buy: Tadashi makes an affordable collection that is absolutely gorgeous. The detail on the clothes are mind blowing. Expect to be the hit of the party if you wear any of his dresses. “Oohs” and “Aaahs” are free with purchase.

    What to buy: Any dress with rosettes! The purple dress was definetly the most sought after by the crowd.

    Overall contribution to fashion: Tadashi is able to produce affordable gowns that don’t turn to rags when the clock strikes midnight.

    Reporting and photos by Erin Jeen.

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    Fashion’s Night Out Round-up

    Okay, it’s time for us to take out our pom-poms and do the Fashion’s Night Out cheer. We totally agree that it’s been a bit over played and who really wants to do any serious shopping among throngs of drunk partiers but it is kind of fun, right? Drink, eat, gossip, browse, shop…

    Still not convinced? Well, we’ve got a plan that will save you the headache of tipsy teens and prissy posers. First, you will need to avoid all department stores. There’s just too much going on and if last year was any indication, customers will be limited due to over capacity.

    Next, you’re going to want to choose a neighborhood and stick to it. Cabbing from the LES to the Meat Packing district to mid-town is just a waste of time, energy and money. Finally, choose a few key friends, not an entire posse. You don’t want to be negotiating where to go next with a throng of 15 friends and pseudo-friends.

    Here are our top picks for Madison Avenue, after all it’s out specialty. Most of the stores we chose are boutiques where the designers are particularly hospitable and fun.

    Missoni
    1009 Madison Avenue
    Margherita Maccapani Missoni and Luca Missoni are making a special appearance to New York to host a cocktail party in celebration of Fashion’s Night Out. The Madison Avenue boutique will have special limited edition Missoni tote bags for purchase. Guests will also preview the S.Pellegrino Sparkling Water’s exclusive collection bottles specially designed by Missoni. (6-10pm)

    Dennis Basso
    765 Madison Avenue
    The Dennis Basso Boutique will be open from 6:00 to 9:00 pm serving cocktails and hors d’ouvres. The new Fall / Winter 2010 collection will be on display, and Dennis will be there to discuss your selection or to even create an original and special design for you.

    Dolce & Gabbana
    825 Madison Avenue at 69th
    Naomi Campbell will be on hand to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of her career with a collection of limited edition t-shirts featuring and signed by Naomi (6:30pm to 9:45pm.) A Special surprise performance choreographed by Laurie Ann Gibson will be from 7:30pm and 9:15pm. Music will be by DJ Lindsey.

    Donna Karan Collection
    819 Madison Avenue
    Jazz pianist, Eric Lewis will be performing in the window of the store on a baby grand piano. We bet Donna will be there to sway to the grooves and clink glasses with her friends and customers.

    Roberto Cavalli
    711 Madison Avenue
    Special celebrity guest DJ Solange Knowles will be spinning. You can safely bet there will be lots of cocktails and interesting conversation.

    Michael Kors
    667 Madison Avenue
    Michael Kors will host live music, entertainment and more. Music from DJ Frank Delour will get you into the groove all night-long. Designer Michael Kors will be on-hand for an exciting personal appearance. Idina Menzel will also be performing live.

    Notable Mention:
    Norma Kamali
    11 West 56th Street
    We are always bummed that there are no good sales for FNO, but we found the exception. Norma Kamali will be hosting a sale where styles worth $650 and over will all be reduced to $100 or under. Now that’s my kind of shopping!

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    Hermes Sale Wall Street

    Yesterday we wrote a bit about the upcoming Hermes sample sale and came to the conclusion that it will likely turn into a disappointment. There’s still some luck if you’re looking for some Hermes booty without spending a bounty.

    The Wall Street Hermes will be hosting a sale on ready-to-wear and shoes starting Wednesday, September 15 and running until Friday, September 17th. The discount will run from 40% to 60% and off and we wouldn’t be shocked if you found some great surprises.

    Think of it this way, you may not find wonderful leather bags at the Wall Street sale but you’re unlikely to find them at the sample sale either. Even better, no line!

    Contact: Linda 212-785-3030

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    Is the Hermes Sample Sale Ruined?

    The famous Hermes sample sale is moving to the sample sale venue, Soiffer Haskin and will take place from September 22 to September 26, according to Mizhattan.

    Moving a sale to Soiffer Haskin can only mean two things: higher prices and a smaller selection. You don’t believe us? Just use the Mikimoto sample sale as a case in point. The Mikimoto sale had always been at the jewelry company’s showroom and the discount and selection were always wonderful. Once the sample sale moved to Soiffer Haskin, prices shot up and customers were not satisfied. A year later, the sale moved back home and Mikimoto customers lived happily ever after.

    Despite the venue change, we know you are going to want to hit the sale for the best selection. Of course, there is a “private shopping day” awarded to select Hermes customers, on September 21.

    Snagging an invitation usually isn’t too difficult. We just suggest contacting your regular Hermes sales person. (This is one store where it pays to be loyal.) If you don’t already have an Hermes relationship, now would be the perfect time to develop one. Yes, this can even be done as a browser. Just don’t show up to the sample sale without an invite. You most likely will be turned away.

    Hermes Sample Sale
    Soiffer Haskin, 317 W. 33rd St. (bet. 8th & 9th Ave.)
    Private Sale: Tuesday, September 21st (2pm to 6pm)
    Public Shopping: Wednesday, September 22nd to Sunday, September 26
    Wed, Fri and Sat 9am-6pm, Thurs, 9am-8pm, Sun. 1pm-5pm

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    Fall’s Most Wanted

    Now that Labor Day is behind us we are able to get down to the serious business of shopping. Last month, we asked readers to send us their most wanted items of the season and we vowed to track their prices. After sifting through hundreds of items, we settled on just ten of the most popular and stylish.

    Below are our readers’ most wanted items and a brief Madison Avenue Spy price prediction:

    1. Chloe Elsie Large Satchel $1395


    Mad-Spy: The Saks friends and family, which usually takes place in early October, will be your first opportunity to grab this bag at 25% off.

    2. Givenchy Nightingale $1900-$2300

    Mad-Spy: Not many stores carry Givenchy, so trying to find a discount on this popular style may be difficult, but not impossible. We’ll be sure to keep a keen eye out for unexpected discounts.

    3. Missoni Sweater Coat $2160


    Mad-Spy: Apples, cool weather and Missoni sweater coats are some of our favorite things about Fall. This particular coat has amazing colors and will look just as chic 30-years from now. Missoni is always the first store on Madison to markdown their merchandise. We expect this coat and similar styles to go to 40% off in Mid-November.

    4. Cesare Paciotti heels $500-$600

    Mad-Spy: Almost anyone will admit that Louboutins are a bit overplayed. Why not step out in something a bit different? There is a wonderful Paciotti boutique on Madison, which we will have to keep an eye on, but you can score some great Cesare Paciotti discounts right now on Yoox.com.

    Mad-Spy: Burberry has so many sales that we tend to ignore many of them. Usually, the first markdown is the “private sale,” which is about 30%.


    Mad-Spy: It’s already reduced to $528. We say the dress will be $440 by November.

    7. Oscar de la Renta Rectangular Bead Bib Necklace $490

    Mad-Spy: No sweat. You should be able to get your bib for at least 50% off.


    Mad-Spy: If our readers are any indication, this bag is the hottest bag for the season. Mad-Spy: A good friends and family sale should save you 25%, but the Alexander Wang sample sale is where you will really find the deals. We were told that there was only one Darcy at the past sale. So it might pay to make friends with an AW employee.

    9. Alexander Wang Boots $895


    Mad-Spy: Friends, this is how you spell love. Just note that the fit is a little off but sometimes love hurts.

    10. Bottega Veneta Men’s Bitter Calf Boots $1250


    Mad-Spy: You knew we couldn’t leave out the men. Bottega isn’t very good at discounting their bags, but shoes and RTW are a breeze. We bet you can snag these at 50% off in December.

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    Farewell to Summer

    Spring-summer 2010 is unofficially coming to a close. Why not grab some great bargains between soaking up those last rays of sun and ducking from the path of Earl?

    Labor Day weekend is a great time to find last minute deals. From the coast of Maine to the shores of New Jersey, independent stores are all trying too eek out a bit more register tape before tourists go back to their daily grind. So, if you happen to spot an item not on sale, a quick and subtle discount hint can turn into surprising savings.

    For those of you on the hunt for serious deals, a ride to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets can save you an additional 70% off the summer 2009 collection at the Etro Outlet. (That’s about 85% off retail.) Bottega Veneta has similar deals with an extra 75% off RTW outlet prices and an extra 30% off select bags.

    Remember, fall collections may be in stores, but if it still has tags… It’s new!

    We are taking the rest of the week off from posting but urge you to leave any great sale hints in the comments section of this post. See you next week and please remember your SPF/umbrella!

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    Devi Kroell Friends & Family

    Devi Kreoll is hosting a friends and family sale where the left-over spring and summer merchandise is 50% off. The sale includes a full variety of ready-to-wear and shoes. There are also a few bags included in the markdown.

    A hand painted black and white hobo is $1425 from $3000 and a larger size is $1745 from $3600. There is also a scattering of envelope bags, totes and evening bags. The sale runs through September 5th and it’s a reasonably good opportunity to pick up an exotic bag at a discount. It’s just that we can’t help remembering the Devi Kroell sample sale, when similar bags were just $800!

    Ouch!

    Devi Kroell
    717 Madison Avenue @ 63rd Street
    Contact: Eric 212-644-4499

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