H&M Organic Skincare

By Laura Medina

Raspberry and Melon Body Scrub

Ready to slough off Winter's dead over coating? Can't wait to bear arms, clavicle, back, and legs?

H&M's eco-certified organic skincare line arrived just in time, ready to be pick up in their stores.

“It felt like a natural step, since we’ve worked with organic cotton garments for a few seasons now. There’s also a strong demand from our customers for organics, and I hope they will be as excited as I am about the new products,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s head of design.

The products are available in the fragrance combinations of raspberry and melon or lavender and mint, and are accompanied by make-up and toilet bags made from organic cotton.

Wash away the old layers first, with their body scrub then refresh to Spring, with their shower gel. The scrub contains organic apple juice and apricot seeds while the gel uses organic apple juice.

Then, buffer up with the body lotion of organic apple juice and sunflower oil.

Your finger tips will thank you for the almond oil and apple juice rich hand cream.

Finally, polish up your appearance with the Fresh Vanilla Lip Balm packed with jojoba and beeswax.

H&M uses essential oils to perfume their products then package them in recyclable materials.

Good news. Not only is it good for the earth, good on your body, it's very wallet-friendly.

You can pair Milly Jewelry with your Milly outfit

By Laura Medina

Bummed out that you can't wait to wear Milly by Michelle Smith's Fall 2010 Collection.

Don't fret. Not only do you have time to save up for Fall but Ms. Smith is launching her brand new jewelry line to accompany her Spring Collection, hitting the stores right now.

Make room in your treasure chest for these delectable eye candy.

As a longtime collector of vintage jewelry and a personal love for it, expanding into jewelry was a natural next step for designer Michelle Smith.

The luxe jewelry line debuted on the runway at the spring 2010 show and includes rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and chain belts. Featuring a mix of 18 karat-plated gold, crystal, acrylic and enamel and ranging in price from $85 to $325, Milly jewelry shares the same attention-to-detail and colorful, sophisticated aesthetic as the ready-to-wear collection, offering unique pieces for chic women around the world.

If you want something to spice up your stale wardrobe, nothing perks up an outfit than these trinkets.

Tracy Reese, Rebecca Taylor, & Milly Encapsulate what it means to be a Girl for FAll 2010

By Laura Medina

Tracy Reese sketching out her runway show.

Last month's blizzard blanket New York Fashion Week Fall 2010 in tons of fierce femininity that held it's own in the snow, the freezing temperatures, and the whipping winds; what a great testing environment for the crop parkas, the printed wraps, the fur-trimmed shrugs, and knee-high boots stomping down the runway.



This writer was lucky enough to gain the sketches that set the foundation for Tracy Reese, Rebecca Taylor, Milly by Michelle Smith, and Elie Tahari, their Fall 2010 Collection.



Practicality and wearability were the first and foremost for Tracy Reese. She ponders and wonders what her customers would like to wear, something soft enough to skim and highlight her customer's body without exposure and yet loose enough to comfortably toss and wear. Closet classics that isn't menswear-inspired but girl-powered.



Ms. Reese didn't set out to reinvent the wheel but tweak what became her main stay's, girly wear in luxurious texture and draping that isn't borderline slutty.

She styled her Rustic Prince of Wales checks, distressed faux fur and stretch suede styles, softened by cosmetic toned lingerie then layered in soft alpaca sweaters, stirrup pants, arm warmers, chunky cardigans, and cozy scarves. They were coated in jacquard, crystal embroidery, and faux-fur trims. Her signature short, ruched dresses adopt well on most body types.



Romney Leader, of Style.com, praised her for making pragmatism fashionable.

Rebecca Taylor's Spring-to-Fall Girl.

Another unbashed girly-girl designer, Rebecca Taylor expanded on building on what she knows best by keeping her Springy, printed silky, ruffled tops, dresses-short enough as-tunics. Her fans can rest assured that her signature pieces aren't going away soon.

Therefore, no need to break the bank for a major closet over-haul. Rebecca simply added on cropped parkas and leopard spots in slate gray on puffer vests and ski jackets to warm up her perpetual Girl in Spring, making the fluffier pieces more sporty.

Like Tracy, for Rebecca, if ain't broken, don't fix it. Just tweak it to make interesting enough.
If Ms. Reese add a dose of sophisication to her girly mix, Ms. Taylor easily added on jaunty but sensible parkas and timeless leopard print coats to something that her customers already have.

For inspiration, Mr. Taylor described a mixture of 70’s Parisian attitude and an urban New York City girl.

With a renewed love for classic sportswear, silhouettes have been re-worked with a twist to give subtle edge on signature feminine designs.

The palette includes dusty hues and new neutrals contrasted with military olives and hints of old gold. Fabrics are washed to provide a worn, overly-loved appeal and are combined with cashmere wool suits, leopard faux furs and down quilted coats, together giving this collection an affordable luxe quality.

Affordability for her, just like Ms. Reese, is building upon what you know the best for frugality then playing around with for fun.

Michelle Smith's drawing out her collection.

Milly by Michelle Smith's early Sixities' inspired Fall Collection, is another continuation of what Tracy and Rebecca are doing, giving what the customer wants and needs, something special but not too out there that will cost an arm and a leg.

Her prim and proper collection is second skin for Upper West Princess, "Gossip Girl's" Blair Waldorf.

If Rebecca's French girls are "babakul," a french hippie style of bohemian then Milly is a throwback to the early Sixities.

"What's classic is modern. For my fall collection, the artsy, chic girls of Paris’ Left Bank are my inspiration, in a combination of luxe fabrics, clever techniques and cool attitude.”

Elie Tahari's picture comes to life.

"My fall 2010 collection is homage to the great women who traveled the globe in style.", Elie Tahari.

His women, not girls, are the no-nonsense jet-setting, take-charge business woman who equates style with stealth yet unencumbersome leather leggings and studded and fur-trimmed motorcycle jackets. Clothes that takes her places-on time.

For Fall 2010, it's conservative chic that cushions comfortably in your wallet. No need to dump everything, just build on what you already have.

Dressing like an Olympian can be downright Stylish

By Laura Medina

Want to warm up like an Olympian one minute then hit the cafe for a light lunch or a smoothie without skipping a beat?

Meryl Davis, of the silver medal-winning Ice Dance pair, Davis and White, chicly and most importantly, comfortably rehearsed in this simply elegant but casual wrap top by Alo.

You can tie this light-weight knit sweater front or on the side like Ms. Davis, over yoga and active wear outfits, making this a cute and quick run-about-town outfit. It goes well with a simple sundress or cocktail for Spring nights.

At $58 and sold at Nordstorm or on http://www.alosport.com/, you can dress like an Olympian without trying too hard. Perhaps, you don't want to endure Olympic training but it's still nice to think you be sporty and fashionable like an Olympic ice skater at a sensible price.

Pampering & Styling Your Hair During Winter

By Laura Medina

Odile Gilbert spritzing and misting a model's hair with Moroccan Oil

People's skin and hair must be hurting right now, especially up and down the East Coast, dealing with the dipping temperature, the snow, the dry air, and the damp rain if it's not snowing.

It's only the snowflakes retaining their beauty now a days because our skin and hair shafts are flaking; and that's not a pretty sight.

Believe or not, thousands of miles away from the snow, a collective of Berber women (Morocco's indigenous people), out in rural Morocco, are offering us relief in the belief of sustaining their own livelihood and culture.

For eons, these women have been harvesting, roasting, and grinding away argan oil for food and beauty aid. It's Morocco's version of the olive oil.

Now, argan oil is becoming known for it's restorative properties, rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, is used for massage, facials and as an ingredient in anti-aging creams. Loaded with natural tocopherols (vitamin E), rich in phenols and phenolic acid, rich in carotenes, rich in squalene, rich in essential fatty acids, 80% unsaturated fatty acids[3] and depending on extraction method more resistant to oxidation than olive oil.

Argan oil soothes psoriasis and other skin diseases. It also heals and seals hair follicles and the scalp. Ideal for the quick and heavy-duty styling that runway models have to endure while being spritzed, sprayed, tugged, and brushed by fashion's top hair stylists, under fashion's most stressful time-fashion week.

Fashion's top woman hair stylist, Odile Gilbert, likes the idea that you can both coat, soothe, and prep the hair and the face while infusing the strands with staying power.

To mirror this dance between tailored precision and soft, sloping curves, and to evoke a feeling of ethereal airiness, stylist Odile Gilbert fashions a voluminous hairstyle that revels in the organic, chaotic nature of mussed curls. "It's all about volume -- tons of volume -- and a round, fluid shape. This look is very feminine." says Gilbert, adding "It's not feminine-frilly; rather it's femininity with a modern twist."

First, take one to two-inch sections, and mist on new Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray to increase holding power, enhance the coil of each curl and provide protection against heat-styling.

Then, Apply Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream and curl each section from roots to ends using a 1/2" curling iron. Gently release the barrel and allow each curl to fall like a spiral.

After curls cool, run Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream through the curls as you gently separate them with your fingers. (Tip: When used as a finishing product, Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream not only adds a sensual definition without crispiness, it also gives silky shine and soft hold while eliminating unwanted frizz.

Mega-watt Power Hair without the stiffness of alchol-based mousse or spray

Flip head upside-down, fluff the curls, and spray with Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray for lasting, touchable hold. Then, Finally, arrange curls to ensure the perfect amount of airy texture, and finish with another mist of Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray to seal in the style while increasing hair's shine.

For curly and wavy-hair people, you can achieve this romantic runway look with Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream is an argan-oil infused leave-in styling cream for beautiful, bouncy, naturally-shiny curls. Repeated use provides extraordinary shine, hold and protection. Rub, finger-comb then move on in life.

Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray provides natural looking hold, brushable memory, and enhances the condition of hair for a fluffier look and feel.

Models at Caroline Herrera show waiting their turn.

Orlando Pita, using Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream for highlighting smooth elegance for a natural ease, texture and flow, creates beautiful, fine-textured low twisted chignons with touches of delicate long strings of intricate seed-beads swept throughout strands of the hair.

“We used argan-oil infused Hydrating Styling Cream to prime the hair and give it a natural-looking, frizz-free texture with a soft hold,” noted Pita. “The beads were designed to blend subtly through the hair; appearing almost as if they’re embedded in the strands themselves.”

Pita plays with texture and keeps the look relaxed and piece-y, without stiffness or tight structure (Tip: Rather than using a brush to blow-dry strands, Pita mussed hair with his fingers as he blow-dried to enhance the tresses’ natural separation and create further definition.)

First prep the hair for blow-drying using argan-oil infused Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream to give silky shine and soft hold while eliminating unwanted frizz.

While blow-drying each section, lightly mist new argan-oil infused Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray over hair to lend increased holding power. (Tip: Another coat of Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray “lends even more texture and helps provide grip when pinning the chignon into place,” said Pita.) The argan-oil infused hair spray holds a style while maintaining hair’s healthy condition.

Sectioning off the very front of the hair from ear to ear, place the beaded headband on the part and pull the front section back over the band, interweaving its beaded strands with the natural hair.

Gently twist the hair and beads back into a knot, and twist under. Finish with a light misting of Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray for healthy-looking and lasting hold.

Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream is an argan-oil infused leave in styling cream formulated to eliminate frizz, condition and hydrate, while adding definition and brilliant shine to all hair types. It provides soft hold and creates an ideal texture for styling.

Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray provides natural looking hold, brushable memory, and enhances the condition of hair.

Hollywood, of course, jumped on the argan oil bandwagon, especially since it's holistic and double-duty while supporting a cause.

For the actress, Holly Hunter, stylist Enzo Angileri created the look, was inspired by the glamorous metallic sheen of her gown.

Enzo choose Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray for its weightless, natural silky-looking shine.

He created a rich texture emphasizedby intense waves, smoothness, and shine. "I wanted her to look glamorous andgoddess-like," said Angileri, "and the hair had to look luminous."

"Holly's hair and color is beautiful," said Angileri, "and I wanted to bringout its deep gold and honey tones for the cameras. Shine was everything in this look since these amazing highlights wouldn't be at all visible in hairthat was not shiny enough to reflect the light -- especially on camera and in photos.

Angileri first enriched, smoothed and defined the texture of her hair with argan oil-infused Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream applied before blow drying."This gave me a great start because the hair immediately looked moisturized and healthy, and had the hold to be styled," said Angileri. I blow dried it without a brush, and the shine and texture I achieved with this product alone was incredible."

Next Angileri used a small 3/4-inch curling iron all over the head to create relaxed natural looking waves.

Afterwards, he asked her to share her hair upside down, then sprayed Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray throughout the strands. "I didn't use hairspray because I wanted the look to be as soft as possible and to be free to fall sensuously forward on her face."

Thanks to argan oil, not only can you look and be healthy and glamourous with ease, you are helping a group of women and their heritage.

Founding Your Fashion Library

By Laura Medina

Ever pondered about teaching yourself about fashion history for your next collection?

Empty of ideas? Tired of nagging the local library about rare fashion books about designers that librarian doesn't know or care about?

Premiere publishing house, Assouline, is releasing two coffeetable books that go way beyond eye candy but provide meaty history and references for any designer.

"Pierre Cardin: 60 Years of Innovation" by Jean-Pascal Hesse, who holds a degree in history, has been director of communications at the Cardin fashion house for close to 15 years, profiles the geometric motifs, asymmetry, oversized buttons and collars, hooped dresses, vinyl inserts—Cardin is an original in every sense of the word.

ASSOULINE is delighted to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Masion Cardin, with the publication of a commemorative retrospective of the work of its founder, fashion designer Pierre Cardin.

Born in 1922 in San Biagio di Callalta, near Venice, Pierre Cardin immigrated to Paris in 1924. After working briefly with Elsa Schiaparelli, Cardin joined Dior in 1946 and opened his own couture house in 1950. He was a pioneer from the start, creating a design-based, architectural fashion with a futurist sensibility. Cardin also had an avant-garde understanding of fashion’s relationship to new audiences, presenting his collections to large crowds. He was the first to demonstrate that fashion can be both a creative process and a business—and that one man can excel as both a businessman and an artist.

This volume is a tribute to this extraordinarily innovative and iconoclastic designer, taking a primarily visual perspective, highlighting Pierre Cardin’s contributions to the world of couture, fashion, and perfume, reflecting his spirit and energy as well as the brand’s international presence.

For those die-hard Alligator fans in Charleston, SC, bemoaning the loss of Lacoste sponsoring the city's Family Cup.

Y'all will always have Rene Lacoste in your house or foyer or living room, thanks to Olivier Margot, sports journalist and editor and tennis historian.

It's not about the history of the Lacoste but a style and lifestyle guide in how to be really "preppy" or living the "country club life." Most significantly, how spiffy causal sportswear came about, from the man who started it all, from court to street.

This is a book about savoir vivre and savoir faire, about how to live (in Lacoste) and how to be. It is a catalogue that has never been more deserving of the name, a catalogue raisonné in which everything is modestly and elegantly on display.

This book illuminates the contemporary relevance of the legacy of René Lacoste, who, in his glory days at the end of the Roaring Twenties, was the best tennis player in the world. A conqueror, an innovator, a designer, he always displayed a certain flair. And those qualities endure. A story about fluidity, softness, comfort, the sun and the sea, endurance. A story about what Christophe Lemaire calls a “democratic luxuriousness,” perhaps a luxuriousness of detail. A story about a sensation, a light, a color, a texture, a pattern, the freedom of a body in motion and at rest. A story about the Club collection, the Sport collection, the women’s collections; about windowpane check, contrast piping, stretch knit polo shirts: “a world of design with a human dimension.”

This book is the story (or one story) of a culture that gives voice to many personal stories—the story of a transgenerational and transcultural cult brand; of a laughing crocodile beloved by children; of a breath, an emotion, a moment to be savored; of well-being; of vitality. The story of everything we’ve done and of everything we have yet to do, all thanks to a single pensée, a single thought, that inspires expression in every form.

With Pierre Cardin at one end of the fashion spectrum and Lacoste at the other, these will make a great foundation for any fashionista.

Sugar-Coated Winter

By Laura Medina

Crystal-encrusted Rodarte Fall 2010

I am certain many of my readers are whining about the below-average cold and cussing beyond reason regarding the blizzard (this writer included).

However, snow crystals do have inherent beauty of their own that no human can duplicate. No snow flake is alike.

Fitting then, that with the blizzard, New York Fashion Week designers decided to be gracious about the situation and take it in stride. Using the snow as inspiration and a reason to indulge, the fashion industry's top influential designers incorporated Swarovski diamante and starry crystal pearls to showcase the elegant feminity of Winter, finding beauty in the adversity of a harsh climate.

Nobody exemplify Winter Wonderland than the sisters of Rodarte. Creamy white coated in crystals in floaty satin and chiffon...

“Fall 2010 explores the idea of sleepwalking. The idea of a dream state, or in-between state,
guided the development of the collection. Swarovski crystal is used to help illuminate the
collection by creating dappled moonlight throughout the show.”
- Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Rodarte

Phillip Lim's candy-colored confections rolled in sugary crystals.

“For Fall, I was thinking about the tension between Disco and Punk, and a woman who is classic but has a penchant for Baroque adornment. We’ve used shades like ‘Jonquil’ and ‘Dorado’ in very modern insets and collars where the sparkle is veiled in chiffon. Swarovski’s modern approach to creating crystals in the most inspiring colors and shapes was the starting point to enhancing the idea of elegant rebellion in a youthful and unexpected way.” - Phillip Lim

Phillip Lim’s Fall/Winter 2010 collection marks the designer’s second collaboration with Swarovski.

Peter Som's Sugar Plum Fall 2010 Collection

Let's admit it, fake or real, you need shearling and fur to keep you warm. Peter Som rolled out his plummy collection in shearling then iced it in frosty shades of purple then sprinkled crystals on top of them. A more tasteful way to celebrate the holidays other than the typical garish colors of red, green, and white...

"Working with Swarovski is always a thrill - The opportunity to incorporate Swarovski
Crystallized Elements into the collection brings a heightened level of shimmer
that only Swarovski cvan do." - Peter Som

Fall/Winter 2010 marks Peter Som's fourth collaboration with Swarovski.

Alexander Wang nocturnal collection

Up in the northern hemisphere, particularly in the Nordic countries, it's 24/7 nocturnal darkness.

Alexander Wang dipped his collection in inky black then using crystals to subtly play up the trompe l'oeil by slyly winking at crystals...

“Swarovski crystal pearls are taken out of their ‘ladylike’ context, and are transformed into graphic patterns and bold accessories.”
- Alexander Wang

Bling-bling maybe passe but it evolves into something much subdued and softer.