Hidden among the socialites, celebrities and fashion editors sitting in the front rows of Fashion Week runways is a pint-sized teenage girl wearing a large hat who has made a name for herself as a fashion blogger.
Not only is thirteen-year old Tavi Gevinson the muse behind Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s “Rodarte” for Target label, she also has graced the cover of several fashion magazines and even has her own column in Pop magazine. A fearless future fashion mogul in her own right, Tavi Gevinson is already known among the fashion elite for her quirky hats, and she takes in the top fashion shows from the same row as the most powerful fashion editors in the world. But a thirteen year-old girl becoming the new “darling” of the contemporary apparel fashion industry should come as no surprise when you consider how our Internet crazed culture has catapulted so many bloggers to international fame. Fashion bloggers have even provided inspiration for the designer collections of Marc Jacobs.
If the fashion clothing wholesale industry has ever had its own respected advocate, it is Tavi Gevinson. The young author of the popular Style Rookie blog has quite a following, and people have fallen in love with her unique style, wit and charm.
The future looks bright for this tiny thirteen year old girl. After all, how many people do you know who took a week off of school to be chaperoned to each and every venue of New York’s Fashion Week. Given what she has accomplished at such a young age, Tavi Gevinson is sure to play an important role in the future of wholesale juniors clothing.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Fashion Clothing Wholesale, Wholesale Juniors Clothing
In partnership with the teenage fashion magazine, Teen Vogue, L.e.i. recently announced their “L.e.i. Model Citizen Campaign”. The junior fashion apparel brand, now exclusive to Wal-Mart, is looking for three teen role models to be featured in its next advertising campaign, each of whom embody the “life, intelligence and energy” that defines the L.e.i. brand.
In addition to inviting girls between the ages of 15 and 21 to shoot a video about why they should be an L.e.i. Model Citizen, the company will also host events in Los Angeles, Miami and New York. Aspiring “model citizens” will be able to upload their video presentations to the campaign’s web site, and grand prize winners will be selected by a celebrity panel of judges. Notable names from the contemporary apparel industry include Teen Vogue editor Amy Astley, model Chanel Iman, and fashion designer Rachel Roy. Following the announcement of ten finalists, a public vote will take place between March 25th and April 6th 2010.
Because of their partnership with Fashion Delivers, this longstanding icon of the junior clothing apparel industry will also invite participants to “pay it fashion forward” by encouraging girls to donate products for the charity. A $50 Wal-Mart gift card will be awarded to the first 25 girls who donate jeans at the events, and all participants will be urged to spread the word about the L.e.i. contest on Facebook and Twitter. This exciting campaign promises to be a model that other fashion clothing wholesale brands will follow for years to come.
In addition to appearing in the L.e.i. 2010 ad campaign, the grand-prize winner will also receive a $100,000 scholarship, an internship at Teen Vogue, a complete L.ei. wardrobe and a fashion makeover. But perhaps the most enticing reason for teens to enter is the chance to attend Teen Vogue’s Young Hollywood party.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Fashion Clothing Wholesale, Junior Clothing Apparel, Junior Fashion Apparel
As the opening ceremonies began in Vancouver last week, I couldn’t help but wonder if anyone else noticed the contemporary apparel worn by each country’s Olympic competitors. As each team paraded into the winter wonderland of the BC Arena, one would expect to see a full range of puffy down jackets and Nordic sweaters, but what surprised me was how many trendy junior fashion ensembles were on display.
Like any other internationally televised event, it wouldn’t surprise me if some designers hurried off to create their own Olympic-inspired contemporary apparel. But I couldn’t help but chuckle at the predictable red Bermuda shorts worn by the Bermuda team, or ponder what inspired the colorful 70’s style psychedelic pants worn by the Azerbaijan team.
Anyone looking for one of those adorable reindeer caps worn by the U.S. athletes should look no further than Ralph Lauren, who was the official outfitter of the U.S. team.
Italy’s team entered the arena wearing crisp, tailored jackets, exuding a purely Italian aesthetic, and Austria’s selection of blue and purple blazers was a hit, but neither was as exciting as the small Republic of Estonia.
For being one of the least-populated countries in the EU, Estonia scored points wearing their wintry white jackets with a subtle blue snowflake pattern, along with furry ear-flapped hats.
Surprisingly, the Greek team’s white and blue track suits not so well received, leaving some commentators wondering if they were shooting for the “Smurf” look this year.
Clearly, as any Olympic hopeful knows, they can’t all be winners. However, it will be interesting to see what kind of sportswear will be inspired by the 2010 Olympics, and which teams will influence wholesale fashion apparel buyers such as Fashion Spot LA later this year.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Trendy Junior Fashion, Wholesale Fashion Apparel
As the holidays approach, retailers are stocking up on evening dresses in every style color and fabric. In fact, the biggest weekend for buying evening wear is quickly approaching. Many women use the same dress for their corporate Christmas party as they do for New Year’s Eve, but this year you will see even more women trying to get one dress that will suit both occasions.
Buyers of contemporary apparel are acutely aware of how the economic crisis may affect this season’s evening wear purchases, and many are looking at a more casual line-up than in past years. Part of the reason for this is that so many companies have cut back on the formality of their holiday events, and fewer people than ever are attending fancy-dress New Year’s Eve parties. For the wholesale boutique clothing buyer, it makes sense to offer a more laid-back holiday dress selection this year.
In most ready-to-wear lines, the fabrics of choice will still be silk, satin and polyester. Best selling colors in women’s holiday dresses tend to be wine red, gold, black and turquoise. Most dresses are designed to accent the bust, and include added support, especially the strapless and empire styles.
One of the reasons for the popularity of the empire-cut dress is that so many women want to hide their waistlines and upper legs. The most enduring styles are available with a matching shawl, and are fully lined in polyester with a back zipper. Most ready-to-wear dresses are retail priced at $100 and up, with designer gowns starting at over $1,000, but wholesale fashion clothing buyers like Fashion Spot LA, are getting more incentives this year, enabling them to offer lower prices to their customers.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Wholesale Boutique Clothing, Wholesale Fashion Clothing
The art of being “Elegant” is defined differently by everyone; hence the phrase, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” For some, elegance can be the sheer simplicity of making something beautiful appear effortless, and for others it can be a glitzy and glamorous ensemble. But for the contemporary apparel buyer, such as Fashion Spot LA, it means knowing a few secrets of the trade. For an elegant retail collection, it all comes down to knowing your customer, what she wants, and what she doesn’t.
Elegance is an abstract concept to most people, and few people can really pull it off, but wholesale boutique clothing owners know that they are not just buying clothing; they are setting a standard of tastefulness for their clientele. And beyond that, they are showing them – through their collection of clothing and accessories – how to look elegant. In short, to a wholesale clothing apparel buyer, elegance is the art of “pulling it all together.”
While everyone has their own definition of elegance, here are some of the tips I’ve picked up after spending several years as a junior clothing apparel buyer.
1. No big flowery prints on dresses
2. No fluorescent or overly bright colored clothing
3. Fabric should be appealing to the eye- stay away from polyester – please.
4. Keep it simple – no excessive sparkles, beads or embellishments on everyday clothes
5. Make sure your blacks match other blacks and your whites other whites.
6. No unnecessary zippers or buttons on sleeves, bodices and shoulders
7. Wear clothes that fit. Something too small or too large is almost always inappropriate
8. Whatever you do, wear clean clothes, and don’t be afraid to iron them when needed
9. When something gets faded, permanently stained or ripped, get it out of your closet
10. Perhaps most important of all – if something doesn’t flatter your figure, don’t wear it just because it’s trendy.
As you can see, elegance in junior fashion apparel is not about changing innate sense of style. In fact, it’s more about what not to do than anything else. Beyond that, elegance is a state of mind.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Junior Clothing Apparel, Junior Fashion Apparel, Wholesale Boutique Clothing, Wholesale Clothing Apparel
For contemporary apparel buyers lucky enough to score a ticket to the Milan fashion shows this fall, the Max Mara show was a real highlight. Already known for their stunning collections of couturier coats, the latest Mara creations are sensational in shape, style and fabric. Whisper thin models sashayed down the Mara runway, all decked out and bejeweled, but nothing stole the show more than his 17 stylish top coats.
While some designers rely on their name and dose of drama to make their shows a success, Max Mara could have done it on the strength of his designs alone. Every fabric and texture was represented too, from alpaca to tweed, camel’s hair to cashmere. Saturated colors were everywhere, like the deep red evening coat with rosettes on the collar.
The coats are beautifully shaped, with defined waistlines, A-lines and barrel-shaped styles evoking a tasteful blend of nostalgia and modernity. Max Mara is also offering a supple pair of opera-length gloves to go along with his three-quarter length sleeve coats. For wholesale fashion apparel buyers, the coats will only be available in five of the label’s US stores, but expect demand to expand the availability over time. If these coats are any inspiration to next season’s outerwear collections, a whole line of imitators will be competing for space in wholesale clothing apparel showrooms such as Fashion Spot LA.
Max Mara’s chief designer, Laura Lusuardi can be very proud of the attention this new line has received in Milan. One of the distinguishing characteristics of this collection was the hand-finished silk linings, each completely done in Max Mara’s factories. While this may not seem extraordinary to some, it is quite a bit more expensive to do this in-house, which is a testament to the financial health of the company.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Wholesale Clothing Apparel, Wholesale Fashion Apparel
Now that the Paris shows have started, contemporary apparel buyers are making predictions about what will be the most enduring trend for 2010. Some of the lesser known designers often come up with the most compelling presentations at these shows, with an eye on attracting buyers to their wholesale fashion apparel sales after the show. It is also a time for junior apparel buyers to find some exciting new ideas to start showing in stores.
A few of the designers that caught my eye this year included Eyola Victorian-inspired dresses, the black and white sculptural presentation by Agonovich, Rochas by Marco Zanini’s French sportswear and the “White Collection” by Osman Yousefzada.
One of the undercurrents that seemed to run through almost every Milan and Paris showing is a simpler, less glitzy, more accessible approach to contemporary apparel. It is as if the economic crisis has forced designers to take a long hard look at their clients’ personal outlook, and started seeing their designs through the eyes of wholesale clothing apparel buyers too. The result is a relaxed and simple design sense with an emphasis on texture and layered fabrics.
In his crisp “White Collection”, Osman Yousefzada used simple structured silhouettes in a singular palette of white, with gold accents, drawing attention to textures of silk, cheesecloth and suede in various shades of white. In his classic minimalistic style, Yousefzada applied a more futuristic feel to his spring collection with kimono shapes and abstract dip-dyed edges.
Marco Zanini offered an unhurried, sportswear approach to his Rochas collection, featuring beautifully cut liquid silk dresses falling just below the knee with layered skirts and vivid florals. Colors like mulberry, lemongrass and pistachio turned up in tiny colorful blazers, paired with tap pants and classic accessories.
When it’s time to buy wholesale boutique clothing for spring 2010, look for these fanciful yet wearable silhouettes to start showing in wholesale boutique clothing store Fashion Spot LA.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Wholesale Boutique Clothing, Wholesale Clothing Apparel, Wholesale Fashion Apparel, Wholesale Fashion Clothing
The best part about being a “fashionista” is keeping up with the latest in trendy junior fashion and seeing how the influences of haute-couture, MTV and the Disney Channel intersect in the average teenager’s closet.
Junior apparel is somewhat tricky to predict, since teens tend to follow one another when it comes to fashion. Only when a new trend is being pushed by a few major retailers will it gain enough traction to be worn by your average high school girl. Another way a new “look” becomes popular is when it is seen on a few major celebrities, or in the hottest new music video.
Who which trends are making their way into junior clothing apparel racks this fall?
1. Believe it or not, the velvet bustier and pouf-y little mini dresses are on the must-have list for teens. This reminder of the Madonna of the eighties recalls dark eyeliner and big hair too, but thankfully they are being presented much more tastefully for ’09.
2. Face it, we’re living in some dark days and even teenage girls haven’t been immune to this. Look for some dark gray knits, muted blues and a renewed obsession with black to show up in juniors’ apparel this fall.
3. On a brighter note, neon candy pink is a hot shade for fall too, bringing to mind a generation of excess and an optimistic outlook for the future. Whether it’s a pink jumpsuit, micro-mini dress or neon pink accessories look for pink to make a comeback this fall.
4. Another glitzy trend is platinum and gold – not just in shoes and accessories, but in jackets, shirts and handbags too. Pair a gleaming gold jacket with gray or black for maximum impact.
5. Perhaps the biggest New York style to finally make its way into the wholesale junior fashion stores is Bondage Boots. Similar to the Pirate Boots of a few years back, these hip-high (or more comfortably, knee high) black boots look terrific with a mini-dress or shorts.
6. For outerwear, the Pea Coat and collegiate tweed are an excellent choice for teens. Not only are they warmer on cold mornings at the bus stop, they go with almost everything.
7. Pencil skirts and skinny jeans are still the rave, but this year contemporary apparel wearers are pairing them with oversized, strong-shouldered, belted jackets that hug curves in all the right places
8. Hounds tooth and buffalo plaid are showing up everywhere this fall, pairing bold black shapes with a host of primary colors like yellow, vermillion and cobalt.
9. Rock n’ Roll style studs, scattered across black leather, are another junior fashion trend making a comeback this year.
10. The vest, a perennial fall favorite, is being shown this year over long tunics, over tanks, and under leather or plaid. Layering with a vest invokes a bulkier silhouette on top, which looks great when juxtaposed with skinny jeans and pencil skirts.
Look for all these trends and more at Fashion Spot LA, your one stop junior clothing wholesale boutique.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Junior Apparel, Junior Clothing Wholesale, Trendy Junior Fashion, Wholesale Junior Fashion
In addition to advising contemporary apparel buyers on the season’s hottest colors, the Pantone Fashion Color Report (compiled by the Pantone Color Institute) also provides wholesale fashion clothing buyers with another valuable resource. The “must-haves” list for spring gives buyers a birds-eye view of spring fashion trends that will become wardrobe essentials for next season. While some of these fashions may be modified for junior clothing apparel lines, or toned-down to meet more conservative tastes, Pantone’s report should give you a glimpse at which runway fashions will be in highest demand.
Here are a few of my favorite selections from this spring’s list of “must-haves” and which designer suggested each item:
* A “voluminous” mini skirt (Andy & Debb)
* Batik print lounge pants in blue and white, paired with a navy embellished tunic (Adrienne Vittadini)
* A hip blazer, or a denim vest, paired with shorts – expected to be a hot trendy junior fashion – paired with multi-strand necklaces and platform sandals (Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons)
* A deep purple jumpsuit (or any other color in the top five), paired with funky, ornamental jewels (Catherine Malandrino)
* A double-faced plaid chambray boyfriend shirt (Charlotte Ronson)
* A tie-front leather jacket, preferably in tan (Erin Fetherston)
* Long, micro-striped tube dresses in a mixture of bright sun-drenched colors and neutrals (Nanette Lapore)
* An impeccably tailored lightweight tweed coat with delicate floral embroidery, in shades of cream, pink and pale gold (Pamella Roland by Pamella DeVos)
* A mint-green sleeveless suede trench dress, with a waterfall cascade collar (Cythia Steffe)
The list goes on and on, and each suggestion can be interpreted for a variety of price ranges and sizes, but you get the picture. As I write this, I am imagining wholesale fashion apparel buyers including Fashion Spot LA are poring over this invaluable list to determine which items will translate into junior apparel, women’s contemporary apparel, or the next big trend. It should be a very interesting spring season.
Tags: Contemporary Apparel, Junior Clothing Apparel, Trendy Junior Fashion, Wholesale Fashion Apparel, Wholesale Fashion Clothing
Just when you were getting ready for the spicy browns and reds of fall, Pantone has released its Top Ten Pantone colors for spring in its Fashion Color Report, spring 2010. As the fashion world turns its attention to Fashion Week, top New York designers have chosen their spring color palette.
Looking at the top five colors, which range from soft violets to terra-cotta corals and mustardy yellows, I am reminded of a sunset over red rock mountains in the Southwest. The vibrancy of these colors, against the rather neutral tones shown in the bottom five, shows a sense of optimism for the spring season. Of course, with the recession still looming large in the minds of top designers, it is a cautious optimism.
Consumers this spring are expected to be somewhat more selective about their purchases, but they still want something that is fresh and relevant. Whether it is just a few key wardrobe pieces, or a range of new accessories, these exciting new colors are sure to enhance any wardrobe.
If you buy wholesale clothes, women’s contemporary apparel, or trendy junior fashions, the Pantone “Top Ten” will certainly play into your decision making.
As a purple-lover myself, I was very pleased to see a soft violet topping the list. Specifically, it is Violet Pantone 16-3320. A huge color for several seasons, this warmer version of what is generally considered a cool color is what finally moved violet to number one. Close to 14% of all designers surveyed used this color in their spring collections.
A perfect complement to purple on the color wheel is yellow, which hit #2 this year with Aurora Pantone #12-0642. Several designers of contemporary apparel have already shown this on Fashion Week runways, primarily in evening gowns and accessories. Follow that with the happy color of turquoise (#15-5519) at number three, a color normally associated with tropical escapes to an exotic ocean resort. Fusion Coral (#16-1543) is a much mellower version of the bolder oranges we’ve seen in recent years, and comes in at number four. Designers have selected this shade because it is more flattering to a variety of skin tones. And rounding out the top five is a lipstick-red Tomato Puree (#18-1661), reminiscent of Badgley Mischka cocktail dresses and a true indicator that this spring will be a color-saturated season.
The remaining five include a serene Tuscany blue, a warmer Amparo Blue, delicate Pink Champagne, and freshly grown neutrals like Dried Herb and Eucalyptus.
Whether you are a junior apparel buyer or a just a fan of designer contemporary apparel, look for these top ten colors in a variety of shapes and styles this spring at Fashion Spot LA. It should be a very exciting return to color.
SOURCE: Pantone Fashion Color Report, Spring 2010 (Women’s COLORS); PANTONE® and other Pantone trademarks are the property of Pantone LLC; © Pantone LLC 2009
Tags: Buy Wholesale Clothes, Contemporary Apparel, Junior Apparel