Shop: JCPenney x Joe Fresh Kids

Joe Fresh is partnering with JCPenney to bring you a fun fresh collaboration in kidswear today and tomorrow in the heart of Times Square. Just in time for the Back-to-School season the event is held in a live orange grove with plenty of family-friendly activities including kid friendly games, popsicles and a family photo booth! If you get there early, photos will be on display on a billboard in Times Square from 10am-2pm today.

100% of the proceeds from the event will be donated by JCP to Adopt-a-Classroom.

Who: JCPenney x Joe Fresh Kids Launch
When: August 21-22, 2013. Wed-Thurs 10am-7pm
Where: Pedestrian Plaza between 46th & 47th St at 7th Avenue

Rock the Sidewalk: EXPRESS Runway

Have you ever wanted to be a model if even for a moment?  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk down an actual catwalk with the music pumping and all the flashbulbs popping?  Have you ever wanted to break a Guinness World Record?  Have you ever wanted to attend a live fashion show? Well now you have the chance to kill 4 birds with 1 stone.

Last year EXPRESS generated a lot of excitement by holding a runway show last year in downtown Manhattan and wanted to create an even bigger splash by attempting to break a Guinness World Record title for most people modeling on a catwalk.  The  the current record is 521 participants, set on September 30, 2010 by Galeries Lafayette in Paris, France.  I have a feeling once New Yorkers get involved, we can definitely beat that record this Saturday.  The premise is that everyone can be a model for a minute and share in the excitement of being a part of something that is bigger than themselves.

Before the fashion show that will showcase the new EXPRESS Holiday 2011 Collection, the public is invited to walk the runway.  Runway participants may receive an exclusive EXPRESS  runway tee, a chance to win one of five $250 EXPRESS gift cards  and an  EXPRESS runway photo they can  immediately  email and upload to their favorite social media site. Later if you stick around you can watch top models (both male and female) and photographers capture the moments that will become a part of the Holiday 2011 marketing campaign.

WHO: EXPRESS
WHAT:   EXPRESS invites the public to be a part of an attempt to break a Guinness World Record Title and to watch the Holiday 2011 Runway Show.
WHEN: Saturday, July 23, 2011.   9am-6pm Guinness World Record Title Attempt. 9pm – 9:20pm EXPRESS Holiday 2011 Runway Show
WHERE:  Times Square – 7th Avenue (b/n 43rd & 44th St)

Forever 21 Times Square Flagship Opens

I wasn't sure what to expect when I heard that a new Forever 21 was coming to town. Not just any old Forever 21 but a four-level flagship that takes up 91,257 square feet of real estate in the heart of Times Square.

Truthfully Times Square fascinated me as a tourist but now that I live here, I don't usually venture into it unless I have an out of town guest or am headed to a show. Also, most Forever 21's in NYC (ie. Herald Square) can be a little bit of a disaster and didn't make for the most pleasant shopping experience. I'd usually hit up the Soho location to pick up a few great accessories but never had much luck with clothing as with all things great in the city was picked over by the time I could look.

Fortunately the Times Square location does it right. Located at 1540 Broadway (nr 46th St) the store is equipped with 151 fitting rooms, 32 cash registers and 500 employees. The hours are also unbeatable, 8am-2am, 7 days a week! The multi-level location with the boutiques withing store of each of the Forever 21 labels housed make it feel like a shopping empire that reminds me a bit of London's Topshop Flagship store on Oxford Street.

The displays are also great and try to incorporate a playful urban NYC feel. Expect these to change often as fashion and merchandise is expected to move faster at this location.

From the directory you can see that the Ground floor being the smallest level is devoted to the Latest Trends and doesn't look too different from other Forever 21's.

The lower levels however are an entirely different story! Accesories, Lingerie, Cosmetics and the contemporary labels find a home. Also important to note, menswear is available at this location. It doesn't usually go to every store and it often sells out quickly.

I found that despite the crowds I had a pleasant experience as there was still plenty of room to look around and browse. The store was bright and cheerful, the displays/fixtures showed off the huge assortment of merchandise well so it was easy to see. This is a store that invites and encourages shopping.

Despite being in Times Square, I think it's definitely worth the trip through tourists to shop the store. I'm actually excited at the prospect of late night shopping. I always thought it was awesome that in Asia you could shop around the clock at night markets and I'm glad that North America is getting a taste! I know I'll definitely be stopping by again in the near future when I have more time to browse...half an hour is definitely not enough for this store!

Cynthia Rowley Resort 2011

Today Cynthia Rowley took the show on the road literally using a black bus and a gaggle of models to the time starved editors of various publications including Condé Nast, Hearst and Time, Inc. Fortunately for me, Condé Nast is mere steps from my office so I was able to take a late lunch and check out the scene. Special thanks to Michelle F :)

Condé Nast with it's close proximity to Times Square was an interesting scene with 2 very distinct crowds. The fashion folk(editors, stylists, photographers and bloggers) and tourists who happened to wander by the scene and seem intrigued and fascinated by what was unfolding before their eyes.

As for the collection itself, it was full of easy to wear super chic pieces. Rowley brought together playful vintage inspired pieces like flowing fuller skirts, high waisted bikini bottoms, ditsy multicolor dots and bucket hats. Fortunately none of this looked to sweet thanks to an undercurrent of rock & roll edge brought forth through sheerness, shine, sequins, raw edge denim patches that went hand in hand with the killer footwear and accessories.

The collection also looked like it had comfort and real women in mind with most of the pieces being body skimming, nothing was too revealing and the elasticized/drawstring waists were prevalent.

This was my personal favorite look as it's super simple casual vibe is oh-so-tough-girl-chic yet effortless.

Cynthia Rowley's collection had me wanting an oversize fish necklace really bad! I thought it looked particularly great paired with the sequin top (perhaps because the fish looks at home in a sparkling blue sea?). I also am aching for a pair of these shoes! They are a woven printed floral fabric that makes them look from a distance as if they were a paper maché collage. I've never seen anything quite like them and they looked great with both matching floral printed socks and with these sequin ankle socks as well!

Last but not least, could you ever go wrong with a heart shaped purse?

Recycled Billboard Totes: Anna Sui x Target

If you've ever been to New York, I'm sure that you've seen ginormous billboards that take over Times Square. Did you ever wonder what becomes of these billboards when their time is over?

Well this time Target is collaborating on a Green initiative with Anna Sui and also up-and-coming artists Michael Anderson and Josh Goldstein who will create 2 billboards that will be up from Labor Day Weekend until Halloween (October 31, 2009). At the end of the campaign, the billboards will be recycled into vinyl tote bags as designed by Anna Sui. You can pre-order your tote on Target.com starting September 4, 2009, but they won't be shipping until January.

As the billboards are only so big, the bags will be limited edition and only 1600 will be made. Mark your calanders because you can choose which billboard you want to become your bag. Talk about Mass customization ;) Now you can own a piece of Times Square no matter where in the country you are.

The Best Things in Life are Free!

Tired of shopping? *GASP* Or maybe it's more to do with being tired of spending money. With the economic crisis at hand, more people are trying to save their dollars but there is nothing like a little bit of free merchandise to chase away total shopping withdrawal. Just a friendly reminder about the Free Uniqlo Clothes in Times Square today. Plus go to see the human vending machine in action!

Hello NYC Kitty

Hello Kitty is getting a Luxe New York Home. Apparently, Sanrio is planning a brand new Sanrio Luxe concept shop in Times Square.

The store is located at 233 West 42nd Street and slated to open Nov 11, 2008.

According to WWD:
"The idea behind the new concept is to attract fashion-forward women in their 20s who grew up with the Hello Kitty brand, said Janet Hsu, president of Sanrio global consumer products. The store, which will sell merchandise ranging from an exclusive pack of pencils for $5 to a diamond-encrusted pendant for $30,000, is filled with items that will only be found at the Times Square location."
As iconic as Hello Kitty is I don't have any need to have a lifetime worth of Kitty via Diamonds! But I have a important question to ask Sanrio. If you were a true luxury customer, what on earth would you be doing in Times Square?

Free Clothes in Times Square!

WHO: Uniqlo
WHAT: Free Heat Tech Inner wear
WHERE: Military Island, Times Square (Broadway and Seventh Avenue, between 43rd and 44th Streets)
WHEN: Tuesday, November 18, 1 p.m.

As part of a promotion of their new Heat Tech inner wear Uniqlo will be giving it away for free! The interesting part is that they will have a giant human vending machine, to give it away...What is that you ask? This is what they told NY Mag.

"Basically we’re going to have two mimes. A male and a female mime inside the machine. And the public can see them through glass. When you get there, we’re going to have Uniqlo reps dressed in the silver bodysuits. And they’re going to hold a thermograph scanner — think of an airport security machine. The thermographer identifies cold spots in your body. After you go through that, you go to the vending machine and push a button and the mimes are going to do a synchronized choreographed routine and then your outfit comes out"