CFDA Tweet Up at DvF & HP Lounge

Following Fashion's Night Out I attended a CDFA Tweet Up, basically a panel where all of the attendees are bloggers and Twitter machines. The panel moderated Steven Kolb by included Harper's Bazaar accessories editor Ana Maria Pimentel and CDFA members Alexis Bittar, Philip Crangi, Dean Harris, Alejandro Ingelmo, and Albertus Swanepoel.

The event was at Diane von Furstenberg's gallery which was transformed into a high-tech lounge with the help of HP. The lounge included interactive screens which featured social media feeds and images from the runway.


I really enjoyed the panel as it was great to hear from some of my favorite accessories designers. While the designers all had different sources of inspiration, they all seemed to agree on having compulsive, restlessness desires to create and perfect.
I learned that Alexis Bittar could have been the first jewelry designer collaboration for Target, but declined because he felt it was off brand for his moderate luxury brand. Dean Harris, who has a higher price point, actually did a collection for Target, and he had a great experience and enjoyed experimenting with sterling silver.

When the designers were asked if they'd ever approached someone wearing one of their pieces, Alexis Bittar also told stories of how people usually assume he's a woman and how he's had to pull out his ID. And perhaps even more hilarious was Philip Crangi's story of how a snooty someone told him the piece was from a "Richard Crangi" and that it was "very expensive."

Philip Crangi made a point about accessories being the most personal element of your look; each piece has a story. So true!
And when asked about accessories styling tips Harper's Bazaar editor Ana replied, "If you can figure a way to pile it all on and make it work, go for it. It’s all about proportions."
The Tweet Up was a fun and humbling experience. It reminded me that while I am a very active blogger, I am not the best at live Tweeting. Being able to text/type at the speed of light while continuing to take in new information, that's a skill! For live blogging I bow down to ladies like Eye4Style, Clutch_22 and StyleIt.

From the DvF Fashion's Night Out photo booth

Giles & Brother/Philip Crangi Sample Sale

You might remember my previous iWant post on Giles & Brother. Maybe it's time to make my iWant a reality.

Who: Giles & Brother/Philip Crangi Sample Sale
What: Jewelry seemingly rendered from relics and artifacts. Leather, chains, rhinestones, and silver.
Why: It’s all cash and carry. So you won’t spend outside your means (unless you borrow from a friend).
When: Thurs. & Fri., noon-7 p.m.
Where: 147 W. 29th St., b/t Sixth & Seventh Aves., 2nd flr.

iWant Giles & Brother Jewelry

Giles & Brother is a diffusion line of the Philip Crangi jewelry collection. Named for the brother and sister team, Giles & Brother features some of the favorite motifs and icons of Philip Crangi, its designer. Conceived as a more affordable option to Philip's other collections, Giles & Brother is a charm-based line with finishes in sterling silver, vermeil (18k plating over sterling silver), and blackened sterling silver. They create jewelry for both men and women.

I love the industrial/organic look of these pieces. Particularly the Emerald Cage Necklace pictured above! The Emerald Cage & Pear Cage Earrings are also great, they shapes are that of gems, without the precious stone, they almost make me wish I had pierced ears. They also make a variety of tiny interesting earrings varying from muskets to safety pins. I had to include the bats in honor of Halloween!

The prices range from $64 for simpler earrings to $635 for the Emerald Cage Necklace.