It is time for us to bid adieu. Our agreed term for blogging at FashionFad.in has come to an end. Thank you for your interest in our blog posts and for your support. You may continue to follow us on Facebook and Twitter:
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We wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and blessed 2011!
Posted by : Edith Barker at 04:16 AM
While it is common for fashion designers to spend months actively researching their inspirations and months to transform those inspirations into an entire collection, it rarely takes years – unless you are Wendell Rodricks and the path from your inspiration involves reviving a nearly lost handcraft. 
Posted by : Edith Barker at 05:56 AM
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
I love all the festivities of December – the month has flown by in a flurry of holiday celebrations. The chill of winter also lingers and continues to draw me to the fall/winter collections of San Francisco’s exceptional designers.
Enter Emily Melville, a young fashion designer who debuted her first collection in New York and currently designs from her studio in the idyllic wine country just north of San Francisco. Emily seems to favor the fall/winter fashion season and concentrates her efforts on these collections. Her garments bear testimony to her eye for detail, perfectionism, and elegant aesthetic; each is sophisticated, classic, and feminine. I’ve included both her 2009 and 2010 fall/winter collections because Emily’s designs are timeless, made-by-order, and a relevant addition to any chic wardrobe.
For her 2009 collection Emily collaborated with another perfectionist, textile designer Ivanka Georgieva, who applied a variety of techniques upon Emily’s garments to re-create the look of landscape paintings by the artist Leslie Snow. A nice touch. Emily received outstanding complimentary reviews following the debut of her collection at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, and again in San Francisco when it appeared in the windows of luxury retailer Neiman Marcus for the very first “Fashion’s Night Out”. I personally witnessed one of the venerable fashion journalists of our day refer to a coat created by Emily as, “The most beautiful coat I’ve seen”. I agree.
Emily’s 2009 collection is able to stand alone, deserving the attention and applause it received. Yet, one cannot overlook the bevy of beauties who modeled the collection on the runway – 2009 was their year too – many of the models were propelled into international spotlights on the runway and in ad campaigns. I just happened to catch three of these models backstage while they were waiting to walk the runway in Emily’s designs:
Anja Rubik, Karlie Kloss, and Chanel Iman
From Emily Melville’s 2009 F/W Collection:
From Emily Melville’s 2010 F/W Collection:
For additional images and information, please visit: www.emilymelville.com
Posted by : Edith Barker at 05:56 AM
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
New York, New York
Fashion Week and Fashion’s Night Out
I’m just about to breathe – bags are almost packed – soon I’ll be on a flight to New York, my only guaranteed break from the past few weeks of whirl and the next few ahead. It will be nice to sit still, at least for a little while.
Last season, fashion week said goodbye to beloved Bryant Park and looked north toward Ramosch Park at Lincoln Center. Now it has a new residence and a newer name, “Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week at Lincoln Center”. For devotees following Indian designers establishing themselves on the runways in New York, watch for collections by Sachin & Bibi, Bibhu Mohapatra, and Naeem Khan. Personally, I can’t wait to see what they have in mind for Spring 2011!
This week also marks the second annual “Fashion’s Night Out”, a global retail event initiated by Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue. Across the city of New York – and across the world – expect retailers, fashion designers, celebrities, models, fashionistas, tourists, gawkers, industry insiders, and shoppers to show their support.
Some of my favorite iPhone moments in New York during “Fashion’s Night Out” last year:
The Prince of Fashion, André Leon Talley, at Manolo Blahnik. (This reminded me of the first time I saw André in person – years ago – backstage at Bill Blass wearing, if I recall correctly, what may best be described as a “tracksuit”; he’s full of surprises.)
Jonathan Adler (potter, designer, decorator extraordinaire) and Simon Doonan (columnist, creative director, the man behind the windows at Barney’s).
Yes…Jonathan Adler sat here, threw pots, worked magic.
We all know what Fashion Week looks like on the runway, here’s a glimpse of the chaos backstage minutes before a show…
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Posted by : Edith Barker at 05:56 AM
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
On Saturday night friends, supporters, and colleagues of fashion and knitwear designer, Jonathan David Baker, gathered together with one mission – raise funds! As you may know, it is very expensive to create a fashion collection, regardless of how ‘established’ one is as a designer. To create a fab fashion fundraiser, Jonathan turned to The Barber Lounge, fellow fashion designers, Muirwood Catering, Three Clicks wine, City Models, and the lovely (and sequined) Rachel Silva, who flew in from London to perform.
The funds raised help to defray the expense of Jonathan’s super-luxe collection, created by knitting together materials such as mink, fox, leather, chiffon, rubber, lace, organza, and georgette.
No stranger to Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week (“NYFW”), Jonathan has worked with the Mulleavy sisters, designers of the celebrated label, Rodarte. Here he is during the last NYFW, taking questions from the press. Photo courtesy of Photo Events NYC.
See if you can spot Jonathan in the opening scene of this stylish ‘infomercial’ featuring 13-year-old fashion wonder kid, Tavi Gevinson, as she talks to the Mulleavy sisters about their “Rodarte for Target” collection. Jonathan was backstage during Rodarte’s last NYFW show when this was filmed – unbeknownst to Jonathan, Tavi caught him on film!
We wish Jonathan the best and look forward to cheering him on during NYFW in February 2011!
Posted by : Edith Barker at 04:24 AM
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
Last week’s annual luncheon and fashion show co-hosted by Saks Fifth Avenue and The League to Save Lake Tahoe was the perfect antidote for any San Francisco resident enduring this cold, cloudy month of August – especially since the fashion show featured Oscar de la Renta’s lovely Resort 2011 collection!
Oscar de la Renta
Mr. de la Renta is the consummate gentleman – gracious, handsome, and impeccably dressed. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, he moved to Spain to study painting, then fashion illustration, before he began his career under the apprenticeship of couturiers and fashion houses including, Balenciaga, Lanvin, and Dior. Each season women the world over treat themselves to his glamorous, feminine, and flirtatious designs.
Oscar de la Renta with his stepdaughter, Eliza Reed Bolen, wearing a gown of his design at a Metropolitan Museum of Art gala. Photo by Randy Brooke
August 7, 2010 Eliza Reed Bolen and her husband, Alex Bolen, arrive for the Lake Tahoe luncheon and Oscar de la Renta fashion show. Photo by Drew Altizer
Oh how I wish I could just roll those garment racks right into my wardrobe!
An intersection of fashion and philanthropy:
In the late sixties designer Bill Blass started showing his collections to a few loyal clients and friends at Lake Tahoe. This evolved into the annual fundraiser to benefit The League to Save Lake Tahoe – now in its 41st year. To learn more visit www.keeptahoeblue.org
Post Script:
Admittedly, I am a bit partial. My first experience in fashion public relations was with Eleanor Lambert. When I worked for her, she was in her 90s and still quite a force, whether in or out of the office. Recognized as the first fashion publicist, she helped to launch the careers of the pillars of American fashion design – including Bill Blass and Oscar de la Renta – as well as Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and many others. On a personal level, she was very fond of Mr. Blass and of Mr. de la Renta. During her memorial service in 2003, Mr. de la Renta returned Miss Lambert’s sentiments with a warm-hearted and humorous eulogy, honoring her career and their friendship – as always, a gentleman.
Posted by : Edith Barker at 03:46 AM
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
The Grace Kelly Style Icon Exhibition (17 April – 26 September 2010) at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London
The Thing that made her stand out is what we call ‘style’. McCall’s magazine. 1955
This is exactly what comes to my mind when I think of Princess Grace, so when I heard that there was a ‘Grace Kelly:Style Icon’ exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum and also that too was being held whilst I was in London I was adamant that I had to go. Actually it was my niece who is a first year fashion student at Birmingham University who told me about it as she chose to attend in order to get some material for her course work titled Style Icons. I was shocked to find that many days were a total sell out, and I really did not have much choice in the day and time slots. While my mother and I waited in the queue for the ‘Grace Kelly:Style Icon’ exhibition outside the V&A, I saw people of all ages ranging from school children to the elderly all having one thing in common and that being total admiration for Grace Kelly’s eternal style.
For me just to see a glimpse into the stylish wardrobe of one of the most photographed women of the 20th century Grace Kelly was so exciting as for me she totally epitomised classic, understated chic. Oleg Cassini was reported to have said that ‘Grace Kelly had perfected the art of wearing clothes that didn’t get too much attention, so she got noticed more herself’. It was enchanting to see how this exhibition explores through her surviving clothes, the story of her transformation from a Hollywood actress to a princess of one of Europe’s oldest royal families. Her enduring appeal as a style icon is very apparent, as the exhibition features her film costumes, the much-publicised dresses made for her trousseau and wedding, and the French haute couture that she required for her subsequent role as Princess of Monaco.
Grace Kelly in 1954
Paramount
Both on and off screen, Grace Kelly was an ambassador for simple American fashions such as shirtwaist dresses and casual shirts and trousers. She also owned several understated elegant evening gowns for attending special events. Her classic clothes were promoted as ‘the Grace Kelly look’ by retailers and fans emulated her immaculate grooming and sense of style.
Dress of layered grey over rose chiffon, appliquéd with rhinestones and pink and white embroidered flowers
Designed by Helen Rose, MGM costume designer
Costume for the musical comedy High Society
Directed by Charles Walters in 1956 and co-staring Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra
The Hollywood star already known for her style arrived in Monte Carlo on 12 April 1956 for her wedding to Prince Rainer of Monaco, and with her brought 40 outfits and 30 pairs of shoes. With her athletic build and preference for low-heeled shoes, pearls and white gloves, Grace Kelly stood out for her conspicuously understated good taste. Her Hollywood contemporaries were dripping in fur and jewels, but it was this beauty’s restraint that meant by 1955 she was already on the United States Best-Dressed List, a major style barometer started by fashion arbeiter Eleanor Lambert in 1940. As well as being on top of this best dressed list, Grace Kelly was in every magazine allowing the world to admire her style and there was even a line of shop mannequins in her likeness that were distributed worldwide.
Taffeta dress with printed floral pattern
Designed for Grace Kelly by McCall Patterns and worn by her on the cover of their spring pattern book USA, 1955
Worn by Grace Kelly May 61955 for her first meeting with Prince Rainer at the Palace in Monaco. Grace was on the French Riviera for the International Cannes Film Festival where her movie The Country Girl was being presented.
Grace Kelly’s serious passion for fashion meant that once married, she had the interior of the family’s retreat at Roc Agel, in the hills above Monte Carlo,
remodelled around her need for extensive closets for her clothes (a move of which her French architect apparently disapproved very much). But in spite of this, she was peculiarly frugal. She was reported to do her own hair and nails, and on many occasions wore unknown designers. ‘She kept her clothes and wore them repeatedly and also looked after them. We have 42 dresses on show as a result,’ says Jenny Lister, curator of the V&A’s ‘Grace Kelly:Style Icon’ exhibition
The new Princess Grace of Monaco started shopping at the couture houses of Paris such as Balenciaga, Lanvin and most especially Dior. From being the American Hollywood actress interpreting European Fashion with her twinsets and pearls, she became the American enslaved to the historic houses which supplied her with many clothes that were suitably formal, but modern and eye-catching.
Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco wearing a specially designed Van Cleef & Arpels three strand pearl and diamond necklace with matching earclips.
Given to her by Prince Rainer in honour of their engagement, 1956
Pink muslin polka dot dress with satin tie ribbon belt
Christian Dior
Worn by Grace Kelly on May 19 1972 to the award ceremony for the Cannes Film Festival.
From her immaculate headscarf all the way to her perfect poodle, Grace Kelly epitomised early 1950s Hollywood Chic. And even today, nearly three decades after her demise she still remains a style icon that many look up to, one famous example being the Hermes ‘Kelly’ Bag. Various anecdotes surround this bag: one is that she used it to cover her bump from photographers when first pregnant with Caroline. In fact, she had carried a padlocked Hermes bag from the beginning of her Hollywood days and was seen with it so often that it was already known as the ‘Grace Kelly handbag’ in the USA by 1956. It is true to say that it is because of this, the price and the waiting list for this iconic handbag had exploded and is still the case today.
It is in 1955’s To Catch a Thief that many style Gurus would say that Grace Kelly portrayed the most stylish image which has become one of film history’s most joyous and iconic images and that was of course the Grace Kelly scarf with those prominent dark sunglasses.
Grace Kelly actually had poor eyesight, and was frequently seen wearing glasses, but loved nothing more than the chic of dark glasses, and her along with Brigitte Bardott and Jackie Kennedy were responsible for bringing dark sunglasses into style in the 1960s and 1970s. By 1980, the London eyewear designer Oliver Goldsmith had created 45 bespoke frames for her.
Selection of eyeglasses and sunglasses by various designers, Oliver Goldsmith and Christian Dior.
The ‘Grace Kelly’ style is never far away in the world of fashion, reverberating at times through the collections of designers such as Gucci and Prada. In 2005 Gucci revived the Flora print it had originally created for a scarf for Princess Grace in 1966 and splashed it across every accessory from clothing to shoes and bags. In 2009, Vera Wang designed a variation on Grace Kelly’s famous wedding dress which she described as majestic and demure.
Green sleeveless dress with tie belt and matching bolero with three-quarter length sleeves (detail)
Givenchy
Worn by Grace Kelly on May 24 1961 on an official visit with Prince Rainer to lunch at the White House with President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy.
For me Jackie Kennedy and Grace Kelly were truly enduring style icons, this being evident in how many fans are still trying to emulate their style today and how much of their style is inspiration for collections of many designers. Handbags are named after them; different pieces of collections are invariably referred to as the Jackie Kennedy dress or the Grace Kelly shirtwaist dress, etc. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to attend this ‘Grace Kelly:Style Icon’ exhibition where through the clothes exhibited I could see the style transformation from Hollywood’s princess to a real European princess of one of the oldest royal families.
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Posted by : Pollyana Patel at 03:24 AM
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
Ritu & Rochana shoot with the renowned Prasad Bidapa sponsored by CK Chetty & Sons
Preparation for the shoot began with Ritu the designer and me going to CK Chetty & Sons Diamond Store, Bangalore in order to select the diamond jewelry which I would be wearing on the shoot. A fairytale like experience of picking jewelry, one piece more stunning than the other. Ritu & Rochana had picked out stunning glamorous cocktail wear, perfect pairing for the diamonds of CK Chetty & Sons.
Make up and hair was rather painless and the results were remarkable.
Prasad was never far, ensuring that everything was just right. Above he is checking my hair is as he wants it for the shoot.
One by one I went through the dresses, each being accessorized by the breathtaking diamonds of CK Chetty & Sons. Whilst wearing the diamonds I was conscious of the guards constant eyes on the jewelry and very rightly so as they were worth crores and crores. It was truly a regal experience just handling the jewels and to wear them was just like a fairytale moment. As a young child I had visited the Tower Of London to see the crown jewels, and as far as my memory can recollect the jewelry exhibited for this shoot wasn’t far off from fitting in with those famous jewels.
Lights were ready, reflectors were positioned, I took my pose, and suddenly a power cut, improvisation was now required… The shoot was taken outside and I took my position as prompted. It was a total pleasure working with the internationally renowned Prasad Bidapa and his team. The photographer was a dream to work with, his experience and professionalism was very apparent. He told me that he had worked with some of the really big names of India such as Aishwarya Rai Bachan, Lara Dutta, Priyanka Chopra, etc… So the pressure was really on, but I tried my very best to comply with all their prompts of working angles, working with the camera, etc so they could get what they were looking for in a shot. Mosquito bites, sweat, aching limbs from working the angles prompted by the team and exhaustion as pretty much most of the day I was working with the camera so the team could get the shot they were looking for, all of this was still not enough to take away from the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed this fab experience.
Above are photographs of me shooting in a ‘Black and White Origami Dress’, part of the ying yang collection. The dress is made of satin taffeta, modelled on the intricate folds of the craft of origami and the fabric is stiffened to create the origami fan like pleats.
Prasad seen in the photograph checking that the shot is what he requires.
Above is a photograph of me shooting in an ‘Ivory Ribbon Pleated Dress’, also part of the ying yang collection, a classic ribbon dress in satin taffeta-inspired by the uptown city girl look in sex and the city. Timeless!
Above are photographs of me shooting in a ‘Green Georgette Gown’, part of the goddess collection. The emerald gown is a confection of intricate fluting embellished with subtle beadwork. Sensuous and flowing it hugs the body lovingly.
Above is a photograph of Prasad and me in a ‘Black and Red One Shoulder Grecian Dress, also part of the goddess collection. This Grecian toga inspired one shoulder dress in black satin and scarlet georgette drapes beautifully concealing a multitude of flaws. Fine pleated border adds glamour.
I truly enjoyed this experience of working with Prasad Bidapa for whom I have immense admiration for and of course I felt like a real princess wearing all the diamonds of CK Chetty & Sons paired with the beautiful Ritu & Rochana Cocktail Wear.
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Posted by : Pollyana Patel at 03:24 AM
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
While living in Bangalore, a quick trip to a friend’s home set in the tea plantations of Conoor (Tamil Nadu) was one of our favorite weekend getaways.
(1) At dusk: tea plantations and mountains of Conoor (2) From our friend’s home – a view of the morning clouds settled in the valley
I grew up in a beautiful, rural area just north of New York City and still hold a love for the countryside. I am fond of summer and the opportunities to escape from city life, enjoying more peaceful places and natural surroundings.
Last month’s weekend getaway was Malibu, California, where we joined friends at a quiet retreat in the canyon and on the beach. I used to live in the area and still love that moment when I reach the crest of a hill and can see the vast Pacific Ocean stretched out before me.
Morning at Point Dume Beach, Malibu
Things to do in Malibu…
In addition to going to the beach, hiking canyon trails, horseback riding, driving along the famed Pacific Coast Highway, sighting celebrities, and shopping – there’s always the Getty Villa, an educational center and museum housing the J. Paul Getty Trust’s extensive collection of antiquities from ancient Greece, Rome and Etruria.
The Villa and its grounds are spectacular – inspired by some of the most beautiful and refined homes of ancient Italy, it creates the perfect setting to display the antiquities.
From my iPhone…
At the Getty Villa: (1) The Outer Peristyle and reflecting pool (2) My favorite fresco (3) A marble sculpture of the Roman goddess of love, Venus – surprised while bathing (4) Upper section of a vibrantly colored fountain in the East Garden
For more information: http://www.getty.edu/visit/
If you’re in the mood for amazing fish tacos – head to the Reel Inn, a favorite shack-style eatery in Malibu, filled with a mix of surfers, locals and visitors.
http://www.reelinnmalibu.com
Or, if you insist on more of “a scene” (albeit casual) that includes the option of dining on the beach – spend an afternoon at the Paradise Cove Restaurant and Private Beach. http://www.paradisecovemalibu.com
P.S. – This is where Malibu-resident and celebrity Pamela Anderson likes to bring her sons for beach-n-eat outings.
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Posted by : Edith Barker at 01:34 AM
Edith Barker & Pollyana Patel quickly became friends after meeting in Bangalore, India. Edith has a dual career in psychotherapy and fashion public relations; Pollyana is an image consultant, model, and the brand ambassador for Ritu & Rochana. They currently have two projects in development under Barker & Patel, and have agreed to join the FashionFad team to share their travels, experiences and musings.
