Music: Lani Love's Fine Wine Mix

Earlier this week I entered Gen Art and Brancott Estate Wines's The DJ Generation Competition. I put together a mix inspired by good company and good wine. The winners of the competition will get to spin at Gen Art's after parties this summer. That would be so fun! Fingers crossed!

Here's my mix. Please give it a listen and let me know what you think! If you'd like to download it onto your computer for your iTunes, iPod, etc, just click on the small down arrow on the right side. I hope you enjoy!
Enjoy with Mighty Fine Wine (live mix) by Lani Love

Tracklist
1. Dragonette, Easy (Fabian remix)
2. Fred Everything Feat. N'dea Davenport, Don't Nobody (Hot Toddy remix)
3. Kraak & Smaak feat. Sebastian, Dynamite (Smaak's Boogie Funk version)
4. Le Tigre, Deceptacon (DFA Remix)
5. Death from Above 1979, Romantic Rights (Marczech Makuziak Remix)
6. Mike Posner, Please Don't Go
7. Snoop Dogg, Sexual Eruption (feat. Robyn)
8. Classixx, I'll Get You (Cassian's I'll Get Yeww! Remix)
9. Louis LaRoche, Missing You (feat. Ad-Apt)

First Look: GAR-DE FW 2010

Last night we made an unexpected stop during our NYFW adventures that got us splashed by cars, snow pellets whipping our faces, trying to avoid giant slush puddles and inadvertantly stepping in them! We ran into our friend, the lovely Deanne of Dream Sequins, and ended up joining her at Gen Art "The New Garde Show and Party". We were pressed for time to get crosstown but we managed to catch the GAR-DE presentation.

GAR-DE is a NYC based design collective that brings together young designers, artists, and producers that was established in 2007. Although the collection was created by a collective, it did not appear at all disjointed but unified in both vision and execution.

It really reflected the way that the New York/urban woman wants to look. Sleek, chic, edgy and effortless. The collection also managed to look both warm and practical too, save for the bare legs, this looks like something you could wear into a blizzard and still stay toasty thanks to the layered effects and shaggy fur vests. The muted color palate was sophisticated and simple. Perhaps I shouldn't say this but I could totally picture MK Olsen rocking these looks! What can I say except real-world aspirational. I wouldn't mind adding these pieces to my closet today! Can't wait to see more of GAR-DE in the future.

Gen Art Shop NYC 2009

Last week I attended my second Gen Art Shop NYC. This year's event felt more like a trade show compared to last year.
The models were breaking down right as I got there, so I was only able to snap a shot of the menswear. I was really bummed because I saw some pretty amazing evening wear gowns and avant garde pieces.

I was really into the accessories at this year's Shop NYC. Sugar Rock Catwalk favorite, Hayden-Harnett was there with their amazing collection of handbags and leather goods.
Will you look at those studs and geometric designs? Love! I anxiously await the day when I have enough money saved up to get a second Hayden-Harnett bag.

New for me, but something that's been on Erin's radar for while, Gemma Redux was one of my favorite finds of the night. This line by Rachel Dooley embodies everything I look for in jewelry - bold, unique, colorful, and feminine without being dainty. Her pieces achieve the perfect balance of sophistication and edge, using beautiful natural stones and mixed metal chains.
My friend Katherine and I tried on (and played with) the Omne, which is one of Gemma Redux's most versatile pieces. It also happens to be one of the most affordable pieces as well, ranging from $98 to $158. There's a magnetic piece inside the web of chains, so you can wear the piece in different ways and various lengths. If you think about it and do the math, the Omne is kind of a deal.


My other favorite accessory find of the night was B-side by Ken and Dana Design. I literally stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the display of rings. I'm totally obsessed with chunky jewelry and knuckle rings, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw these!
They also had some great earrings and necklaces. My friend Katherine bought the necklace on the left. If you're looking for a geometric statement piece, B-side is definitely worth checking out.

My favorite apparel line at Gen Art was Sally Tseng. The collection was young, modern and sleek. My favorite pieces from Sally's line were her menswear inspired shirts and jackets - really nice cuts and tailoring.
This is Sally, wearing her own pieces including the amazing Ellington Tailcoat. The tail in the back is removable; 2 in 1!

Isn't she so cute?! She's a young designer, but her line has already been out for five years and some of her pieces have been worn by celebs like Charlize Theron. Quite impressive!
Here are a few of the pieces that I liked. I ended up buying a peach-nude version of the silk buttondown on the left and the two-toned oxford shirt below. I felt so guilty for wanting both, but my friend Katherine agreed they were both good finds, fun and versatile.

Overall, Gen Art Shop NYC was a great event, and I'm really glad I went because I'm not sure I would have found some of these other designers otherwise.

Bensoni Online Sample Sale

Bensoni, Betty Flapper Dress, $70 (compared to retail $646.00)
You may remember Erin gushing about Bensoni in our Gen Art NY recap. Well guess what? They're having an online sample sale right now at thesavvy.com. No login required!

Who: Bensoni
What: Dress $49-73, tops $28-46, jumpers $66(retail $253-646)
Where: Online at thesavvy.com
When: Now through Saturday, March 28 12:00AM midnight EST

Do European Men Do It Better?

Carlos, Nurse
Spotted at Gen Art Shop NYC

I spotted him on my way out of Gen Art last week. I loved how Carlos was in head-to-toe gray while still keeping it fresh.

Visiting from London on holiday, his outfit was the last thing he had packed. Blacks and neutral colors are great for vacation because they are easy to mix and match. And accessories like Carlos' patterned scarf and belt can make the look fun. My favorite thing about his outfit? His silver shoes! Casual and flashy, love it!

The one thing I might have changed was the length of his jacket, but I also caught him off guard so it might have been just a matter of adjusting. The exposed white shirt below the jacket makes it all seem a bit ill fitting, but I can you assure in real life, he looked great.

Falls in Love

Half of Falls design duo, Leong Ong, poses with Sid
Spotted at the Gen Art Shop NYC Event

Noticed Sid walking around Gen Art Shop NYC because I thought her pleated blouse & skirt were Über cute! Her Vera Wang boots with cut out heel were also simple but interesting. I soon discovered that her outfit was designed by Falls and she was sort of a walking advertisement. She tells me how much she loves the clothes and gushes that the amazing thing about the Falls line is that it looks great on everyone. She quickly pulled me over to introduce me to her friend, designer Leong Ong.

Leong has a very relaxed, calm manner that instantly put me at ease while he talked told us a little about himself and Falls. Leong in collaboration with Philip Leeming launched the Falls line in 2007. Leong was born in Malaysia, studied at the prestigious Central St. Martin's in England but quickly moved stateside because of his love of America fashion. Leong tried his hand at design in the corporate world at Ralph Lauren, while Philip worked at Kenneth Cole. Looking to create something more personal and less corporate lead to the birth of Falls. Falls is now a New York City based brand, but initially they began in small town High Falls, upstate New York. The High Falls not only gave them their brand name, but also inspired their design ideology of mixing nature with urban. Leong tells me how much he loves waterfalls and I agree that no matter how many times I see them, I never get over the beauty. Their love of waterfalls can be seen in the soft cascading ruffles or flowing ties in so many of their designs.

Here are some of my favorite looks from their Holiday 2008 Collection. The cardigans in light weight cashmere with pointelle are feminine but practical. I could picture the below cardigan easily becoming a wardrobe essential for any girl. The blouses are sweet but not precious while maintaining a modern quality that is elegant but a little bit sexy too.

You can buy Falls at Henri Bendel, Saks Fifth Avenue, Steven Alan and Castor & Pollux. Also available online at Revolve Clothing, Lisa Kline or Saks Fifth Avenue.

Are you ready to Fall for Falls?

Monochrome Statement

Sandra, Gen Art Business Development
Spotted her at the Gen Art Shop NYC Event because her monochromatic in varying tones of warm gray caught my eye.

She says the boots determined the outfit. She bought the boots first because she loved them, but keeps buying clothes to match the boots.

I say perhaps the boots speak truth? The warm gray leather is such an atypical shade yet it perfectly compliments the tonal color block dress. I love that it's quiet but still a noticeable statement especially in a New York sea of black.

Dress - Eryn Brinié
Boots - Frye
Cuff - Unknown, but she has a love of Chunky Bracelets

What's in the shopping back? H Fredriksson in Grey tones of course!

Gen Art Shop NYC Event

Erin's Take
I was really excited to have a chance to go to Gen Art Shop NYC. I've never attended any Gen Art events before and I thought it would be a great chance to see a wide variety of products from young designers on the rise. There were some slightly more established brands showcased as well including Rebecca Minkoff, Bliss Lau, Hayden-Harnett and Bijules. When we got there the crowd was just beginning to pick up and soon some of the booths were swarming. We would definitely recommend coat check and a complimentary drink before digging in to shopping.
Interestingly enough, I found that the designers that were immediately adjacent to to doors had the strongest impact on me. The first half of the hall contained the best of the emerging talent, so after circling through all the booths I had to return to get a better view.

One of the best deals I saw was on shoes by DRU New York as soon as you walked in. I'd only seen these shoes in photo's before and I was excited for the chance to put them on. The shoes have unique proportions and were designed with comfort and day-to-night transition in mind.
They had samples for $20, Shoes for $40 and Boots for $85. Unfortunatley they didn't have any shoes to fit my size 5 feet. Peep some of our favourite looks below.

Bensoni's collection of feminine yet tailored dresses and separates were definitely one of our favorites. The design duo Ben Channing Clyburn and Sonia Yoon's managed to combine color blocking, layered fabrics of differing textures, subtle prints and bold stripes in a very tight collection. The look is refined and lady-like but also fun and not at all stuffy. Quirky, cute and not overly sexy, these are clothes that girl's wear for the sake of clothes. To be perfectly honest, this collection screams me. I'm not sure I've seen a collection that feels so completely me, right down to the color palatte in a really long time.
Cloak & Dagger's Collection by Brookelynn Starnes was flirty and chic but with a raw edge. The perfect balance of femininity and masculinity. I thought the double layer vest was alot of fun. I also liked the tiny gold buttons on the pants and the play on textures and opacity on the blouse. These are stylish but practical clothes that I can see making great additions to any girl's closet.

As for accessories, I liked Digby & Iona's collection of whimiscal jewelry. While some themes were based on nature like the stag ring and feather earrings, others pieces like the moustache just make me smile. And shouldn't fashion be fun? Especially accessories!

Lani's Take

The two of us has a similar list of favorites. In addition to the collections Erin mentioned above, I was a fan of Michelle Vale's collection of sophisticated and polished handbags. Each bag was designed and made with extreme attention to detail - lots of pleating, stitching and little pockets. The most unique thing about Michelle Vale's handbags were the interchangeable hardware components. Each handbag comes with silver and gold pieces that can be switched out. Pretty clever if you ask me!
Overall, I was a little disappointed with the event because I didn't like as many collections as I would have hoped and the discounts weren't that impressive. That said, I love to support young designers and see what's up and coming, so I'll be there next season.

Now Wearing...

We went to Gen Art Shop NYC event last night. A detailed post on the designers and event to come in a the next few days...

One of the unexpected highlights was meeting Heatherette designer Richie Rich, who was super fun and fabulous. He gladly took a picture with us while his kind bemused friend offered to take the photo. Richie had perfectly painted grey nails, which I'm imagining must be OPI's You Don't Know Jacques. Richie complemented my nails, so I'll share a photo of my attempt at ombre nails using L.A.Girl FLARE, OPI Teal the Cows Come Home and OPI Russian Navy.

Tee Shirt - Jonathan Saunders for Target
High Waisted Skirt -Jonathan Saunders for Target
Lace Tights - Urban Outfitters
Red Patent Mary Janes - Delmans
Jacquard Jacket - Cynthia Steffe
Necklace - Twinkle by Wenlan Oz Necklace
Woven Leather Purse - Botkier

Gray ruffle top - Target Go International Collection
Brown tank - Mossimo, Target
Body jewelry - Bliss Lau Crossmyheart
Straight leg jeans - James
Maroon suede boots - Urban Outfitters
Green bag - Gryson for Target
Chrome glasses - Alain Milki