Cheryl Shops

Alice + Olivia presentation at Highline Stages [09.19.13]

The last collection I viewed at Fashion Week was Alice + Olivia. Gossip Girl celebrities Kelly Rutherford and Taylor Momsen caused a stir, so I took a couple shots to share on Cheryl Shops. Enjoy!

After exhausting myself over the weekend* ("What's a weekend?" indeed!), I found myself, gladly, with a much lighter schedule for the final few days of Fashion Week. (I also had to skip quite a few shows due to work, but that's another story.) Here's what I was up to Monday and Tuesday.

Alice and Olivia

While I've rediscovered the joy of avant-garde this season, I certainly haven't lost my ability to shop a show, which is what I found myself doing at Stacey Bendet's Alice and Olivia presentation Monday evening. Granted, I am already an enthusiastic Alice and Olivia fan, but with a theme of Parisian "Fantasy Street Style," the fall collection might as well have been called "Stuff Cheryl Wants to Buy." There were flirty flared skirts, buttery leather motorcycle jackets, patchwork furs (a big trend this season), and lace, lace, lace. And then there were bags and shoes from the label's fairly recent expansion into accessories, and the boots were so fabulous, I found myself mentally clearing room in my closet for them: over-the-knee gray suede, quilted black pointy-toe with gold studs, pointy black haircalf, a black leather spat style...so many boots, so little time. And just when I thought things couldn't get any better, waiters waltzed by with trays of pink champagne and cake pops. Stacey, will you be my best friend?


Reem Acra

It's always interesting to see where I'm seated at a fashion show; usually it's toward the end of the runway with the press, so we have a longer look at each exit, but at Reem Acra, I was seated at the beginning of the runway—so close that I could see the models backstage before they came out onto the glossy black runway. I was also close enough to appreciate the intricate detail and craftsmanship in Acra's work (in fact, close enough that my zoom lens was too long, hence the less-than-stellar quality of my photography here), which for fall 2013 was inspired by travels to Japan and the photography of Daido Moriyama. Acra stuck to a simple palette of black, white, and red, the better to showcase her sexy fishnet-backed cutouts, which curved around the body in a very sensual way. That thought was echoed in her day dresses and coats, which draped low and gracefully across the hips to soft, flattering effect. But Acra's gowns stole the show as always, from embroidered second-skin illusion gowns to embroidered, frothy tulle confections. Look for them on the red carpet; stars would be remiss not to wear one.


Steven Alan

Runway shows are fabulous and exciting, but presentations have their place at Fashion Week, especially for designers like Steven Alan, whose quietly cool clothes would get lost under the lights and drama. Also, presentations are wonderful because you can be in and out in 10 minutes. That said, I wanted to linger over the fall collection, which had a very appealing tomboyish feel. You could say menswear is a trend for fall (although if you ask me, it's too much of a staple to be considered a trend), which puts Alan in the thick of things, but his take is subtle and even a bit androgynous—a boxy windowpane-plaid suit, oversized boyfriend shirts, cropped stovepipe pants, and updates on classics like cable-knit sweaters and chambray shirtdresses. I also found myself shopping this collection, but in a different way than Alice and Olivia above—that one is "I have to have that right now" while Steven Alan is "I will have this forever."


*A post on the rest of Sunday's shows is still forthcoming!

Misha Nonoo (pronounced no-NEW) recently won the Fashion Group International's Rising Star Award for Women's Ready-to-Wear, and based on the super-polished yet totally accessible collection she showed on Friday, it's an honor well deserved. The looks, inspired by French actress Anouk Aimee, were refined, with ladylike peplums and godet skirts, embellished with fur, lace, and beading. There were also perfect-looking ankle-length pants and maxi dresses that looked anything but sloppy. I think this is exactly how a lot of women want to dress: pretty and pulled-together, but not too precious.

Alice and Olivia's Stacey Bendet declared 2012 the year of the dinner party, so she invited us all to a loft in Chelsea where...there were free drinks! (Hey, it's Fashion Week! Who eats?!) That said, she turned up the mega-glam for fall with sequins galore, jewel tones, graphic prints, and fun party frocks of all shapes (fall marks the launch of the brand's Gown collection), many paired appealingly with bomber jackets and blazers. Daytime looks stood next to evening looks in one big, fun, bright mishmash—in real life, not all these girls would be going to the same party, but at Alice and Olivia, all are welcome.

"Walter girls are the coolest in the room, and they're always happy," designer Walter Baker told me tonight at his presentation at the Empire Hotel (side note: having been here twice this week, I can report it looks nothing like it does on Gossip Girl). It's a bold statement, and while purchasing one of his delicious-looking coats may not make me the coolest girl in the room, it would definitely make me happy. There was a leather blazer with knit sleeves, a buttery leather vest, several belted jacquard trench coats, a cropped shearling motorcycle (that one might just be my favorite), and a bright red number that put a smile on my face. There were great dresses and separates too, as well as a new line of bags, but the outerwear stole my heart. And, perhaps, my credit card. Whatever makes you happy, right, Walter?

Negarin is a British contemporary line making its U.S. debut. Geometric pieced dresses with flattering detail at the waist, kurta-inspired tops, and belted jackets appeared to be mainstays of this collection geared toward modern working women. Everything looked very well made, if a bit too generously cut for the models (then again, isn't everything?); I got incredibly excited about the shoes until I discovered they were provided by Nicholas Kirkwood, designer of my shoe dreams. As the Rolling Stones say, you can't always get what you want.

Alice + Olivia is known for its stunning pieces that effortlessly mix girlie and edgy and fuse fashion-forward and wearable -- and while I admittedly don't have any of my own pieces to vouch first-hand, I'm sure their stand-out wardrobe staples like dresses and coats are worth every penny. However, when it comes to more everyday basics, things get a little pricey, relatively speaking. Luckily, in the case of the Convertible Striped Cardigan, you're not getting just a plain ol' trendy-yet-typical sweater -- you're getting three sweaters in one. After all, if you're going to go designer for your comfy basics, you might as well get triple the bang for your $198 bucks, right? Wear it long and slouchy to elongate your look with sky-high heels and jeans, add some visual interest with asymmetry by wearing it as a wrap, or go for my favorite look -- cropped and looped for a cool scarf illusion that makes for a sweet layered look that doesn't look too casual. Of course you're free to experiment with other innovative ways to wear it (I'm sure you could come up with tons, depending on your creativity level and how much time you have on your hands!), but even with just 3 ways to wear it, I'd say that's a returned Christmas gift credit well-spent!

- Alex Gambardella

Content provided by TheFind in partnership with Cheryl Shops.

I am always getting emails about pop-up shops and new websites, and I tend not to write about them because I never know where to put them. But sometimes the news is too exciting not to pass along, so I'm starting a new feature, called New Shopping News! (yes, the redundancy is intended), wherein I will mention anything new and noteworthy in the realm of shopping, whether it's a new store, a new line, a new website...you get the picture.

So that Upper East Side girls don't have to trek down to 40th Street to score their sparkly party frocks, Alice + Olivia has opened a pop-up shop in the Scoop at 1275 3rd Avenue (at 73rd St.). Hours are 11-8 weekdays, 11-7 Sat., and noon-6 Sun., now through 1/1. But even more exciting is the fact that Alice + Olivia has launched an online shop, so not only do you not have to leave your own neighborhood--you don't even have to leave your apartment.

Also joining in on the e-commerce fun is Vince Camuto, who makes trendy but unique shoes at very wallet-friendly prices. All orders ship for free through 12/6, and starting next week, you'll be entered to win up to $1,000 in shoes when you sign up for emails. I have my eye on the Desmond wedges, pictured here.

Finally, the quintessentially Parisian line Paul and Joe has delved into its archives to create a special line for one of my new favorite websites, The Outnet. Sort of a Paul and Joe's greatest hits, the collection includes slim plaid shirts, sleek tuxedo jackets, and some great-looking military coats. The best part? This being the Outnet, the prices are way below what Paul and Joe normally retails for--from $125 for plaid blouses to $300 for coats. Do I really need a new coat? No. Am I tempted to buy this slightly metallic Peter Pan-collar princess style? Yes.