We all know her and love her for her beautiful bags. The story of Kate Spade is one of the All American Girl. Here was a girl that grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and described by everyone who knew her as wonderfully original. She embodied a ‘fresh sense of style’ and approached life and business with a seriousness that exuded nothing but professionalism.
Kate Spade began her career after finishing college in 1986. She started out at Mademoiselle magazine and left in 1991 as the Senior Fashion Editor and Head of Accessories. When she worked at Mademoiselle, Kate understood that the fashion market was missing something — a beautiful handbag that the average American woman could afford. So she decided to create one. The first concept was nothing but a myriad of sketches with some notes on costs of production with the end product being her famous satin-finished nylon bag in the $150 price range. Crossing her fingers and making a wish, Kate and her husband Andy Spade began marketing the Kate Spade brand “Kate Spade Handbags” in 1993.
By 1996, Kate received an award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America for her talent in accessories. She received this distinction again in 1998 as Best Accessory Designer of the Year. In 1999, her bags made it to the Cooper Hewitt Museum for a National Design Triennial celebrating American Design excellence. She then received an award in 2004 for her Home line and several other recognitions followed this.
Kate’s bags are known for both their functionality and their beauty. Her bags each have a signature name that embodies a place on the planet that is dear to Kate’s heart. Here is her famous Foster’s Crossing creation, from a little known place in Idaho. Pictured right is her Pasadena bag from one of L.A.’s most famous cities.
In November 2006, Liz Claiborne Inc. purchased the Kate Spade brand for $124 million with a six-month transition plan. Sadly, that six month period has come to an end and Kate and Andy Spade are stepping out of the Kate Spade brand. Kate will leave her position as head designer, and Andy as CEO. The pair will explore other avenues of interest, continue their love of travel, and spend time with their two and a half year old daughter.
If you are a red carpet follower, particularly when it comes to fashion, you have probably seen and lusted after some of the sizzling gowns created by masterminds Mark Badgley and James Mischka. These cuts are frequent guests of the red carpet, movie premieres, after show parties, and so much more. Now these two artistic geniuses are showcasing their marketing talents by putting Teri Hatcher, Desperate Housewives star on the face of their Fall campaign.
You will see Teri Hatcher in a very provocative campaign that features lingerie and poolside jaunts, all playing up to the sexy Susan Mayer, her role on Desperate Housewives. She has told Entertainment Tonight that Badgley and Mischka worked her gown for her first red carpet event, so the history with between the trio is meaningful for her.
Besides eveningwear, you will find in the Badgely Mischka line sportswear, lingerie, swimwear, footwear, fur, and fragrances as well as a huge line of accessories. Earlier this month, this design team launched their new Platinum day handbag collection that showcased a sleek selection of lower-priced candy-colored bags that sported brass hardware in the $300 - $600 price range.
You will find Teri Hatcher’s campaign in September issues of Vanity Fair, InStyle, and Vogue, but here you can catch a sneak preview.
The word is out that the new face of Jordache is none other than Heidi Klum. This Victoria’s Secret supermodel is also the host to the Bravo hit series “Project Runway” and has not only the perfect face, but body to boot for Jordache’s Fall campaign. The campaign was shot in L.A. at the penthouse of Chateau Marmont.
Some of you may remember, or perhaps yet again I age myself, the 1979 Jordache ad that was banned for showcasing a topless woman riding a horse through the surf. At the time, the television networks weren’t too tickled about it so it got the boot. This year’s ad is being shown to a much more liberal network audience and will be a take off the same theme. Klum will be shot from behind as she holds equestrian gear and stands on the balcony overlooking L.A. at the Chateau Marmont. You can get a glimpse of it here.
In the ?70?s Jordache was the brand to wear but with the likes of Gloria Vanderbilt and Calvin Klein sneaking onto the scene, the jeans have had some tough competition. Today the line has added spandex and more flexible structure to the fabric making the jeans not only more comfortable, but stylish as well. You will be seeing high-waisted look come back with Jordache as well as the classic skinny jean that does not seem to want to fade anytime soon. With a face like Heidi Klum’s on the campaign trail for Jordache, it should not be long before Jordache makes a full comeback.
You can find Jordache at Macy?s, and get a glimpse of the shooting of the campaign over here.
If you are in a bit of a budget crunch, and well, who isn’t, then you will like what The Gap has done for you this Fall. They have narrowed down your wardrobe staples to four essential items that are this Fall’s top picks. Take these items and play with them with what you already have in your closet and you will have endless possibilities for this Fall’s looks. These come in nice neutral colors as well, so you can do just about anything with them. Let’s see what they have here.
The Knit Dress
We have been talking a lot about dresses lately, and there is a reason for that. They are big big big this year, so stock up, or grab onto one essential staple like this cute knit dress. This dress is a soft cotton/wool blend meaning it won’t wrinkle and has crew neck and cap sleeves. This one will hit about mid-thigh and would look great with a pair of tights and a cinched belt. Do something a little different and throw a long sleeved underneath to add a contrasting color when the temps drop a bit.
The Crisp White Shirt
Amazing how this shirt never goes out of style. From The Gap it will come in high-quality stretch cotton with long sleeves and front buttoned as well as button cuffs. This will machine wash easily, and can you say versatility with this number? You can do this over, under, as is, whatever you want and pair it with any of Fall’s trendy bottoms. So fresh, this shirt is timeless from season to season.
The Wide Legged Pant
I have mentioned a few times that boot cut is on the way out. The wide legged pant is taking its place to offer a wider leg from waist to toe for both comfort and a more refined and polished look. This will look great with your boots or heels and again, the colors are neutral enough you can do a lot with this one as well. These sit below the waist and are fitted through the hip and thigh. The front slant pockets will streamline the tummy area a little bit and these offer a little bit of spandex as well for easier movement.
The Wrap Coat
Again, we have talked a lot about selecting the right coat for the Fall, and The Gap is offering a style called the Wrap Coat that is super feminine with just the right retro feel to it. This is a high-quality wool blend with a tie belt closure that will sit right below your waist. If you are a ’spiller’ (aka, MOI) then you want to go with the darker tone on this as it is dry clean only.
We all know her and love her for her beautiful bags. The story of Kate Spade is one of the All American Girl. Here was a girl that grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and described by everyone who knew her as wonderfully original. She embodied a ‘fresh sense of style’ and approached life and business with a seriousness that exuded nothing but professionalism.
Kate Spade began her career after finishing college in 1986. She started out at Mademoiselle magazine and left in 1991 as the Senior Fashion Editor and Head of Accessories. When she worked at Mademoiselle, Kate understood that the fashion market was missing something — a beautiful handbag that the average American woman could afford. So she decided to create one. The first concept was nothing but a myriad of sketches with some notes on costs of production with the end product being her famous satin-finished nylon bag in the $150 price range. Crossing her fingers and making a wish, Kate and her husband Andy Spade began marketing the Kate Spade brand “Kate Spade Handbags” in 1993.
Kate’s bags are known for both their functionality and their beauty. Her bags each have a signature name that embodies a place on the planet that is dear to Kate’s heart. Here is her famous Foster’s Crossing creation, from a little known place in Idaho. Pictured right is her Pasadena bag from one of L.A.’s most famous cities. 
