MTV Mobile & Nina Ricci "La Rue", Two Creative Launches Using GIFs

In the last few years, the animated image format GIF (Graphics Interchange Format in nerd terms) has found its way into mainstream publications like Buzzfeed, The Atlantic and V Magazine and more recently in launch campaigns for MTV Mobile and Nina Ricci's "La Rue" bag. These GIF campaigns raise the artistic potential of the basic animated image with more stylized photography and interactivity. There's no sign of the GIF trend slowing down, especially with mobile apps like Cinemagram--the instagram for GIFs--that makes it easy for anyone to snap a photo and turn it into a GIF to share on their social networks. 

MTV Mobile's "Gif Me More Party" Interactive Music Video 

To launch its mobile platform and app MTV Mobile, MTV created an interactive music video for Sacramento musical group Death Grip and their track "I've seen footage". Shot in the pixelated GIF style, the video has a choose-your-own-adventure aspect where you can relive an epic party through the perspective of each partygoer. The shaky video makes me a bit motion-sick, the navigation or switching of characters is a bit clunky and I'm not sure the GIF-theme is strong enough to warrant the name 'Gif Me More Party'; however, it's apparent the Paris creative agency Buzzman, which created the campaign, understood who their target audience was as the experience is fun, fresh and very "MTV". Experience the party here. 

Nina Ricci "La Rue" handbag launch with GIF Art Campaign by Jo Ratcliffe
My favorite campaigns are often the most simple, and designer Nina Ricci's GIF Art Campaign for her new handbag "La Rue" falls into this simply brilliant category. English artist Jo Ratcliffe created a set of animated GIFs showing off the chic "La Rue" purse in vibrant, whimsical GIFs that pumps youth into the Parisan brand but maintains high-fashion sophistication through styling. The best part about the website is you can retrieve the code to embed the GIFs or instantly share them on to your social networks. See all the GIFs here.

Is American Flag Fashion Fad or For Real?

We can thank LA-based brands American Apparel and Jeffrey Campbell for putting the 'American Flag Print' trend on BuzzFeed's 11 Tired Hipster Fashion Trends That Are All Over Instagram, but as much as people love to hate on hipsters, the trend of sporting stars and stripes among young people around the world is actually good for American brands. Beyond patriotism (genuine or not), the flag in commercial terms has represented quality, authenticity and aspiration. Bringing credibility and 'cool' back to the American flag print helps bring relevancy and value back to the "Made in the USA" tag inside of t-shirts, backpacks and even food.

There was a period when the Union Jack took over fashion and culture with influencers like the Sex Pistols and Spice Girls, now global superstars Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry and Lana Del Rey are doing their part in spreading the stars and stripes craze. With Memorial Day, July 4th and the Olympics coming up, there's isn't a better time for the American flag to make its way into closets and onto Forever 21 racks across America. Flag fashion is nothing new, but broadcasting the bright stars and bold stripes through facebook, twitter and instagram is something we'll all be getting used to this summer.

Here are examples of the American flag trend starting with this USA dress I designed and made last year for the USMNT Game vs. Argentina (thanks Hannah for modeling!):

Jeffrey Campbell Lita Platform Boots in USA Print

True Religion's Recent Ad Campaign

Lady Gaga & Beyonce killing it in the Telephone Music Video

Lana Del Rey looking cute with her pouty face

One of my favorite movies

Nothing like a Bud Heavy on a hot summer day

Charlotte Free for Adidas Originals by Jeremy Scott

#TopChicret Maybelline 'Uses Shit Fashion Girls Says' P'trique For Charlotte Free Annoucement

Some brands talk about collaborating with Internet famous people and some brands actually do it, like Maybelline's recent annoucement of Charlotte Free as the new face of their brand. Check out the pretty funny video featuring 'Shit Fashion Girls Say' star P'trique below. "N.F.T. (not for twitter)."

What Was Left of #JasonWuForTarget

I did it guys, I woke up super early at 7 a.m. this Super Bowl Sunday to catch a ride with my friend Amber to hit up a Target store in Jersey for the launch of Jason Wu for Target Collection. We ended up leaving Brooklyn around 7:30 and made it to Bridgewater, NJ by 8:37 a.m. to find the target parking lot pretty empty and hopeful... until I stepped through the automatic doors and saw two middle aged white ladies exit each with a trash bag sized target bag filled with Jason Wu clothes--I COULD SEE THE FLORAL PRINT THROUGH THE WHITE PLASTIC! Nervous, Amber and I rushed to the Jason Wu racks to find it completely empty. Gone. Just a few rods of steel, cold, empty. What?! Target opened at 8 a.m.--it was a half hour later and there was nothing. No cute pleated shift dress in blush stripes with a black belt. Still hopeful we scoured the racks in the changing room for what was left, and surprisingly I found two tops, one small the other medium, that was cute. Yay, success. I was looking for ladylike pieces to add to my work wardrobe, which contained too much of the opposite, so I was happy with our purchases (Amber and I ended up with the same tops). You know what I'm also happy about, I bought 48 rolls of toilet paper for $12 bucks!

Totally Late but Rooney Mara is My Best Dressed For The Globes

Overall, I thought most of the dresses at this year's Globes were boring and uninteresting (compared to last year's awesome Old Hollywood ensembles). My predictions were "weird holes" and "beading" which I did see some of and all on Zooey Deschanel. My favorite look of the Globes goes to Girl With The Dragon Tattoo actress Rooney Mara for her feminine goth inspired Nina Ricci dress. I absolutely like the cut-outs on the sides, mini-bows in the front and use of tulle to soften the dress. Her simple hair and make up went perfectly with the dress--not distracting and not too casual. Argue away but I was never a fan of the red carpet princess dress and this was definitely not it.

Tommy Hilfiger Finally Gets Hip With Preppy Holiday

The struggling-to-be-relevant and fresh American lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger has finally found a way to make ridiculously good-looking "waspy" people less douchey and more fun with their new holiday campaign themed "House Par-tay". The creative which came from Laird and Partners (you may remember them from the short-lived Gap Logo redesign) stays true to the brand's iconic red and blue color scheme, diverse and oh so gorgeous cast of models while being humorous and fun. What is different about this campaign is the concept of "family", specifically defining who "The Hilfigers" are, and the range of age, race and hairstyles.

How can you dislike a family that parties during the holidays in their underwear?

Congrats to Creative Director Trey Laird of Laird + Partners, Film Director Francis Lawrence and Stylist by Karl Templer for job well done. This campaign makes me want a pair of plaid jammies!

Holy BOW-loney Part 2

I can never get tired of the big wide bow. Here's an homage to my Holy BOW-loney post two years ago and some of the bow-y things I'm currently obsessed about:

1. Blair Waldorf's Christian Dior Embellished Bow Gown

2. Chloé "Lily" wallet in red leather

3. Hair Bow, source
4. Navy Striped Bow Bandeau from Amourouse on Etsy

High Fashion Fun: How LANVIN's Newest Campaign Changes Everything

I am obsessed. Obsessed with LANVIN's Fall 2011 campaign featuring two gorgeous models (Karen Elson and Raquel Zimmerman) dressed head-to-toe in ornate floral and no doubt absurdly expensive creations dancing to Pitbull (Gasp! Not even a recent hit... "Calle Ocho" from 2009)! I first noticed this awesomely addicting campaign as a print spread in VOGUE's September issue and at first, couldn't figure it out. I took an extra minute to decipher the story behind the image, then realized the models were in mid-dance and, god forbid, possibly having some "innocent fun". In contrast to Prada's serious(ly) underage models dressed like they are bored 40 year-old school girls--LANVIN LOOKS LIKE A PARTY.

The best part is the 1-minute video, which changed my entire perception of the high fashion world, and literally oozes with brillance--from the music, editing, styling, direction. That spot could not be anymore perfect than it already is, except watching it a few hundred times more. I may be biased a little since it's no secret that I am a huge fan of Wii and Kinect dancing games, which I'm guessing was the inspiration behind this idea.

Famous fashion photographer Steven Meisel shot the campaign and you can see the entire print campaign and video here. What tops off all this brilliance is LANVIN's Artistic Director Alber Elbaz makes a very cute cameo in end. Watch the spot here:

Met Model/DJ Harley Viera-Newton at The Standard NYC

I do get starstruck when I see a celebrity I admire but usually don't do much about it since it's a common occurrence in NYC; however, tonight I attended a PopSugar party at The Standard Hotel in NYC and a girl crush of mine, Harley Viera-Newton, was DJing. I couldn't help but ask to take a picture with her and she kindly accepted and let me get behind the DJ booth and put on her headphones (coincidently personal favorite Empire of the Sun's "Walking on a Dream" was playing). As I had imagined, she's a sweetheart and like any typical girl--loves fashion. I became of a fan of Harley over a year ago when I saw her in Cole Haan ads around NYC and instantly admired her effortless sense of style. She's always in cute little vintage-inspired or tailored dresses. She's a real cool kid who has a real passion for music. You can catch her DJing in various NYC hot spots like Lit, Avenue and Jane Hotel.

Finally, I Have Found the Dress of My Dreams

Every girl thinks about what her wedding dress will be like, and for me, it's a mystery. I can't seem to pinpoint exactly the type of wedding dress I want for that special day, whenever that day may be (definitely not soon but always good to plan ahead). All I know is that I want chiffon, lace, detailing and sleeveless NOT strapless. And while this may seem very specific, it's not. I have discovered from my former roommate's obsession for TLC's Say Yes to the Dress that wedding gown varieties are infinite and if you don't know what you want--you end up looking ridiculous.

However, today, I have finally found the dress of my dreams from Elie Saab's Fall 2011 Couture collection (see image above). I love the sheer confetti effect and would most likely cut the cape off, even though it is quite awesome. There were so many dresses that I loved from the collection. I had two other favorites that I would consider wearing with some minor tweaks i.e. cut down on the bling. I have finally found a wedding dress (or dresses) that is a reflection of me and what I would want to wear on one of the most important days of my life. I'm obsessed with 60s fashion and I want a design that's timeless (think Audrey-esque) but not costumey, and Elie Saab's couture dresses is exactly that.

Now the question is: How much does a couture dress cost?

 

I Love My Hoodie, So Does the Rest of America

The hoodie is as much an American clothing staple as blue jeans and a cotton shirt. Celebrities like Kristen Stewart and Justin Bieber wear them, CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg (and maybe just Mark Zuckerberg) wear them and even Jedi Knights have hoods! The reason why "hoodies" have become a recent obsession of mine is because my apartment is always freezing and I have become accustomed to throwing my hoodie on whatever I am wearing before I leave my apartment. It somehow in my mind makes me more presentable, even if I am wearing my pajamas underneath. A fashion faux pas or not, Americans find comfort (publicly acceptable snuggie!), anonymity (big hoods are good for hiding in) and practicality (pockets for holding keys, wallet and warming hands) in the one piece of clothing we all agree is awesome for both boys and girls--the hoodieeee.

Old Hollywood Glamour at the Globes

Red carpet gowns are one of the few things that still gets the girl in me super excited, like SUPER EXCITED.  I love the sequins, diamonds, clutches, updos, side-dos and anticipation of what the stars will wear.  I ALMOST feel like I could relate to Rachel Zoe.  I was not disappointed at all at last night's Golden Globes, not even at Natalie Portman's ruby rose Viktor & Rolf dress!  The glamour and sophisticated styling choices last night reminded me of why we call these actors and actresses "movie stars", simply because these people SHINE.  Even Ricky Gervais' navy suit glimmered.  J-Lo's sheer crystal cape/cloak thing reminded me of Sandy's prom dress in Grease, which I love.  Hands down the most beautiful dress goes to Olivia Wilde's Marchesa princess gown (I usually hate strapless full-skirted dresses, but somehow the gold glitter and black made the dress less juvenile).  Megan Fox, being Megan Fox, looked HOTT (and really skinny) in a soft pink Armani Privé bandage dress.  Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway were mermaid twins, decked out in one-toned long sleeve sequined dresses both with plunging backs (Angie's less than Anne's).  And last but not least, Emma Stone sort of replaced what I would expect from Kate Bosworth, an understated Calvin Klein peach fitted dress.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to make more of an effort to dress up (how disappointing that I sported sweatpants and a hoodie to my friend's Golden Globes watching party), so don't be surprised if I look like a walking constellation one day.

Google's BOUTIQUES.com Will Change The Way We Shop

I'll admit that I don't find shopping for clothes fun anymore due to the long fitting room lines, missing sizes and overwhelming number of options, but this week, Google (of all things) is making a bold statement with the launch of BOUTIQUES.com, "a personalized shopping experience that lets you find and discover fashion goods, by creating your own curated boutique through a collection of boutiques curated by taste-makers--celebrities, stylists, designers and fashion bloggers".

I was curious what a fashion site built by Google would be like so I created an account today, and the first step is going through a photo style questionnaire that deciphers your personal style.  I have quite an eclectic, confusing style (NYC Black Boho Meets California Casual Retro?), so I was skeptical about BOUTIQUES being able to recommend things that I would like.  But no surprise, BOUTIQUES is awesome!  I would wear majority of the pieces recommended if I could afford it.  I am loving the Polyvore-esque personalization of your own boutique (you can upload your own images and share your style inspirations) and the coolest part is being able to browse pieces in the boutiques of popular fashion bloggers like Rumi Neely and celebrity style icons like Mary Kate (where is Rachel Bilson & Kate Bosworth?!).

BOUTIQUES is a user-friendly hub of fashion inspiration that uses runway and celebrity photos to help users guide their own personal style while seamlessly recommending pieces users may not have seen before.  Would be interesting to see how fashion labels/retailers are incorporated into the site, because I am sure the advertising platform for BOUTIQUES will awesome in its targeting capabilities.

Besides my recent trip to London's vintage flea markets and high street stores, it's been a while since I have been excited over beautiful dresses and funky heels.  BOUTIQUES reminds me of why I love fashion and shopping in the first place--reminds me that there are so many skirts, shirts, dresses, shoes and purses that scream "me".

Lanvin For H&M, Pure Eye Candy

One shoulder cocktail dresses, ruffles, floral prints...

SEE THE LATEST VIDEO ABOUT THE H&M DESIGNER COLLABORATION.

The Best & Worst Gowns of Miss Universe

I didn't actually watch all of Miss Universe, but from what I did see there was definitely some interesting gowns if you know what I mean Poland & Sweden.  Congrats to Mexico, you are beautiful, too beautiful, and now you have a crown that confirms that you are possibly the most beautiful person in the universe (after Queen Amidala of course).

Here are my favorite gowns of the night:

Here are the 'what were you thinking' gowns:

rug unraveled?

uhhh...

no comment

80s hair much?

bubble gum

explosion.

What Does GAP Need To Be Cool Again?

Sponsoring a major fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum seems like a good start.  This Monday, A-list celebrities and models attended the annual Met Costume Gala in extravagant (not so crazy this year) ensembles, many of which were designed for GAP by big name designers Alexander Wang, Thakoon, Sophie Theallet and Rodarte.

Photos from Gap.com and NYMag.com

Starting today (Happy Cinco De Mayo!), you can bid on the gowns which Jessica Alba, Vera Famiga, Kirsten Dunst and M.I.A wore and proceeds will benefit the MET Costume Institute.  There will also be a pop-up store on 54th and 5th Ave.  With the exception of Riley Keough's cream candle wax-like gown, the GAP gowns don't scream a comeback for the retailer but remind us that GAP is still struggling to regain retail dominance.

Big name designers, museum sponsorships--this is all starting to sound a bit TARGET-y.  The MET Gala is a prestigious event but does not have the mass reach the brand needs (unless they are only looking to target NYC Upper East Siders).  I know GAP has had guest designers before and continues to do so, but Target owns guest designer collections by its heavy marketing and hype of it.  What made GAP, GAP, is blue jeans and a white shirt.  Even that GAP identity is lost in their recent bold Helvetica font American Apparel-esque ads.

The GAP we love so dearly represented true American fashion--comfortable, classic and stylish clothes.  Whether its finding a designer that can create clothes we want (J. Crew!) or rethinking its marketing strategy, GAP needs to stay true to its roots (those great music-inspired ads with Missy Elliot) and maybe think more outside of the box.