Labels I love
Once upon a time, in the late '80s and early '90s, when Linda, Christy, Naomi, and Cindy ruled the runways, there was a highly regarded fashion designer named Isaac Mizrahi. But after a few poor-selling collections, his backer, Chanel, pulled the plug, and Isaac was forced to close his business. He then dabbled in Off-Broadway theatre, costume design, writing comic books, and hosting a TV show on Oxygen. But, finally, last year he returned to fashion with a high-end made-to-order couture business and a low-priced line for Target, hitting both ends of the fashion spectrum. Target, of course, deserves praise for their democratization of design--bringing well-regarded architect Michael Graves, makeup artist Sonia Kashuk, and Swell doyennes Cynthia Rowley and Illene Rosenzweig to design home accessories, makeup, and linens, respectively, for the chain. But I think their collaboration with Isaac is by far their best to date. While the Mossimo for Target collection tends to be trendy, Isaac's is more classic but not at all frumpy. The basic Stretch Tech collection is great for the working girl, with its mix-and-match elements. The hunting jacket looks basic at first glance, but has suede elbow patches--a detail that makes the jacket feel a little more luxurious. The trench coat is very classic, but the fact that it comes in violet is unexpected and unique. The accessories are amazing as well: I have the Essie black flats, which are very Mischa Barton and go with everything, and I recently bought these Nikki brown croc pumps, which are neither croc nor croc-stamped leather (they're PVC), but they're quite comfortable and, at $27, an incredible bargain. The North/South tote actually is leather and looks a lot more expensive than its $30 price tag. And speaking of prices, most items in the line are under $30, a price that's great for trendy stuff you won't be wearing a year from now, but even better for such classic pieces. With such great style and attention to detail, I can only imagine how decadent Isaac's couture line must be.

No comments