The Inside Scoop: Bellevue Fashion Week

This year Bellevue Fashion Week has a solid line up of do-not-miss events so take my advice and block out your calendar now! Fashion week runs from September 29th- October 4th and will include runway fashion shows, VIP shopping nights and even a couture hair and fashion show sponsored by 7 Salon and the Zebra Club. The main event of course is the Vogue “Front Row Fashion Runway Show” produced by Vogue Magazine using fashion from The Bellevue Collection. Special guest Anne Vincent, Director of Merchandising for Vogue, will be on hand to share her insight on Fall’s Must-Have items.

Fashion Week will kick-off on September 29th with a screening of The September Issue, a documentary that focuses on Anna Wintour, the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, who is one of the most powerful women in the world of fashion and also the driving force behind the heavily edited fashions that grace the pages of Vogue. The debut will be followed by a special invite-only after party featuring a Q & A reception with The September Issue Director R. J. Cutler. To view the movie trailer, click here.

“With all of the new luxury brands choosing to open at The Bellevue Collection including Burberry, Michael Kors and Hugo Boss, plus the broad collection of haute designers featured at Nordstrom and boutiques like David Lawrence and Mercer, partnering with Vogue to present our major fashion event was a perfect match,” says Jennifer Leavitt, vice president of marketing, Kemper Development Company (KDC), owners of The Bellevue Collection. “This partnership speaks to the affluence, sophistication and fashionable sensibility of our core customers. We are ecstatic to be able to bring Vogue to the Northwest for Fashion Week at The Collection.”

Additional Fashion Week Events include:

Sept. 30th - Nordstrom Fall Fashion Show at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue to benefit the Detlef Schrempf Foundation. The evening will begin at 7pm with cocktail and hors d’oeuvres followed by the runway show at 8pm showcasing the best of contemporary and emerging designers. For tickets or more information, call the Detlef Schrempf Foundation at 206.464.0826 or click here.

Oct. 1st- Italia: Life in ‘I’ Style presented by David Lawrence and the Italian Trade Commission at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. Doors open at 7:30 pm; Show starts at 8 pm. A runway show featuring the hottest men’s & women’s fashions featuring Italian brands including Versace, Armani, Zegna, DSquared2, Just Cavalli, Flavio Castellani, Frankie Morello, Viktor & Rolf, John Richmond, and others. Hair styling provided by Obadiah Salon. A VIP Party will follow the show inside the store by invitation only. Tickets are $50 in advance, $75 at the door. Ticket price includes a $25 gift certificate to David Lawrence distributed at the show and redeemable during the month of October. To buy tickets or for more information visit the store or call David Lawrence at 425.688.1669.


Oct 2nd- Sweat and Spice Spectacular with lululemon athletica at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. Doors open at 7:15 pm; Show starts at 8 pm.Travel the spice route with lululemon athletica and indulge your senses. Experience savory food, listen to groovy beats, witness incredible performances, leave inspired. Hear it, taste it, breathe it, be it. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at lululemon athletica Bellevue Square.


Oct. 3rd- Front Row Fashion Presented by Vogue at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. Doors open at 6pm and the show begins at 7pm. General Admission tickets are $75 and include drinks and appetizers, entrance to the show, swag bag, a $20 gift certificate to The Bellevue Collection and admittance to the VIP Shopping Night following the show. All Access Tickets are $125 and include complimentary valet parking, access to the private pre-party lounge with complimentary drinks and appetizers, entrance to the show, reserved preferred seating, exclusive All Access swag bag, a $50 gift certificate to The Bellevue Collection and admittance to the VIP Shopping Night following the show. 21+ and over. To purchase tickets click here.


Oct. 3rd- VIP Shopping Night at The Bellevue Collection, featuring a host of exclusive offers from stores throughout The Collection. The VIP shopping night will be held from 8-10pm and include decadent desserts, rich coffee, and a $20 gift certificate from The Bellevue Collection. You’ll also be privy to exclusive offers from some of The Bellevue Collection’s finest stores open late just for you. Participating stores will remain open until 10 pm. Event is $25 in advance and $35 at the door (space is limited).


Oct. 4th- Urban Blowout, cutting edge hair meets cutting edge fashion by 7 Salon and Zebraclub at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. Doors open at 7pm. Put together your whole look with hair by 7 Salon and fashion from Zebraclub. More than a fashion show, it’s an event that you won’t want to miss! Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at 7 Salon locations and at Zebraclub.

100% of Front Row Fashion and VIP Shopping Night ticket sales will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue has been providing after-school and out-of-school care for the youth in our community for 56 years. For more info on Bellevue Fashion Week, click here.

Seattle Fashion Directory: Handbags

Navigating the Seattle fashion scene is easy when you know where to shop. Here's the inside scoop on Seattle's handbag designers and boutiques.

Clutch- Clutch is Seattle’s only handbag boutique that carries a huge selection of bags from designers like CC Skye, Badgley Mischka, Linea Pelle, Hayden-Harnett, Sabrina Love, Teesje and more! Owner Kimberly also loves to entertain her customers with private trunk shows featuring cupcakes and champagne! Clutch is located in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel at 1212 4th Ave. Click here for more info.

BONUS: For handbag updates and special events check out the Clutch Blog by clicking here.

Rocco E Dante- Designer Tara Sauvage created Rocco E Dante, a line of stylish handbags as a tribute to her love of design, luxury and global travel. The collection features modern and vintage inspired silhouettes in Italian finished leathers in bold hues. The Rocco e Dante girl is looking for that one fabulous handbag each season to complete her look or one must-have accessory that will last her the whole year and into the next. Visit Rocco E Dante online by clicking here.

BONUS: For handbag updates check out the Rocco E Dante Blog by clicking here.


Sabrina Love- Former fashion stylist and costume designer, Sabrina Love has always been passionate about handbags. While spending two years in Europe she developed an appreciation for supple Italian leathers and simple, timeless designs all the while acquiring experience and resources for production of her own line. Sabrina Love’s line of handbags is stylish, functional and edgy made from the highest quality of Italian Lamb leather and luxurious imported hardware. Check out the full line by clicking here.

Check out additional Seattle fashion directories by clicking on the links below.

• Seattle Women’s Fashion Directory

• Seattle Mens Fashion Directory

• Seattle Online Boutique Directory

• Seattle Jewelry Directory
  

Photo at Top: Gianni Pucci

Seattle Jewelry Fashion Directory

Navigating the Seattle fashion scene is easy when you know where to shop. Here's the inside scoop on Seattle's best jewelry designers!

Bruce Magnotti- Couture jewelry designer Bruce Magnotti has been called many things, “The Lord of The Rings”, for his bold and unique cocktail jewelry designs, “The Andy Warhol of Seattle”, for his versatile and diverse artistic interests, and most importantly, “The First Green Jeweler in the U.S.”, by Fox News, for his dedication to recycling gold and zero conflict gemstones used in his designs. “We work on a custom basis designing many three stone rings with a colored stones like a 3.5 carat ruby or sapphire in the center and then two fine white sapphires on either side,” says Bruce. “We are willing to show customers our styles either at our home and studio in West Seattle, or in the comfort of their own home. We also love helping people put on parties so that we can showcase our collection as a trunk show”. For more info on Bruce Magnotti, click here.

Rock Star Jewelry- Designer Martha Driver creates unique one-of-a-kind pieces that are truly timeless and can be worn year after year. “I love making clients happy each time I meet with them and they put on my pieces,” says Martha. I can personally vouch for this because when Martha graciously gifted me a pair of custom turquoise earrings from her line at a recent fashion event I nearly died and went to heaven. Her pieces are stunning and the quality is impeccable. View the Rock Star Jewelry collection online by clicking here.

Cinti Jewelry- Cintli is a family-owned business that began in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1989, with the goal of promoting the centuries-old tradition of fine Mexican silver jewelry, while adding a contemporary flair and urban energy. Established in Seattle in 2003 by two young Mexican entrepreneurs, Sergio Cueva and Beto Yarce, Cintli has quickly become known for unique sterling silver jewelry accented with wood, glass, natural stones, leather, suede, rubber and resin, and dried flowers. Elegant and exotic, classic and contemporary – Cintli offers the finest in designs, quality and service. Discover one of Seattle’s “best kept secrets” today! Click here for more info.

And if you're getting married and looking for a great jeweler who specializes in engagement and  wedding rings, check out EE Robbins in Belltown and ask for Chelsea. She is fabulous!

I love Fashion Films

Ask anyone that knows me, and they'll tell you I love a good fashion film. I love the dresses, the drama and the true craftsmanship that goes into each design. Last Spring there was the Sex and the City Movie, then Valentino: The Last Emperor, followed by Confessions of a Shopaholic, and now of course, The September Issue. Filmmaker R.J. Cutler was granted exclusive access to the Vogue offices in order to follow Anna Wintour and see the chaos that goes into making the coveted September issue.

The film focuses on Anna Wintour herself, the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine who is one of the most powerful women in the world of fashion. You may remember another fashion film, The Devil Wears Prada, which is loosely based on her. “It’s quite hard to look up at yourself in such an intense way,” said Anna Wintour after the Sundance premiere of “The September Issue.”

The September Issue, financed by A&E IndieFilms will open in New York on August 28th. It will open elsewhere on September 11th. The film has already been sold to the UK, Latin America, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Scandinavia, the Baltics, Iceland, Japan, Greece, Korea, Taiwan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Israel, Thailand and, just recently, Russia.

Fashion Insider Note:
I’ve heard rumors of an exclusive Director’s Party as part of Bellevue Fashion Week in September! Stay tuned for more info!

Shop the La Rousse Summer Sale

All summer merchandise is now marked down at least 50% on La Rousse.com. Find amazing deals from your favorite designers such as Mary Meyer, Something Else, Sophomore, Rodebjer, Zuriick and more.

Plus, from now until July 20th enter SAVE15 to get an extra 15% off your order. As if that wasn’t enough, if you spend over $150 you will also get a free pair of vintage earrings!


Stay tuned for more news from La Rousse and don’t forget to mark your calendars for their upcoming pop-up shops:

• August 1st- Vain (Downtown Seattle) from 12-6pm

• August 27th - September 4th- Pulp Lab (Ballard)
  

You can also check out the latest on the La Rousse blog at http://larousseblog.blogspot.com

Boss Store to Open at Bellevue Square

The international Fashion Group HUGO BOSS will open a new, directly operated BOSS Store at The Bellevue Collection in the landmark Bellevue Square. The store is currently set to open July 17, 2009.

Located in the Nordstrom wing, next to Tiffany & Co. and across from Burberry, the new BOSS Store aesthetic will extend just over 3,200 sq feet.

The new store will carry BOSS Black, BOSS Orange and BOSS Green menswear collections along with shoes and accessories.

The BOSS Black collection will be presented with oyster white walls and clean black lines. In contrast, the BOSS Orange interior features young, dynamic and innovative themes borrowed from the collection, featuring specially produced over-scale graphics. There will also be a special corner dedicated to BOSS Green – the sportswear collection for golf enthusiastic men.

“BOSS is an exciting addition to our retail mix in Bellevue Square,” says Kemper Freeman, Jr, CEO of Kemper Development Company, which owns and operates The Bellevue Collection. “The completed renovation of Bellevue Square has created an atmosphere that is attractive to designer brands like BOSS. This is one of the hottest menswear brands in the industry and one that will complement the mix of current menswear in the square and offer a new dimension that we’re confident will excite our customers.”

Further information on HUGO BOSS can be found at www.hugoboss.com.

Sidlab is Coming to Seattle!

When it comes to great haircare products there can be no compromise. So, after months of petitioning that Sidlab comes to Seattle, it’s finally here! Duque Salon & Spa in Ballard will be carrying the entire line of products including shampoos, conditioners, texturizers, thickening sprays, shine drops, smoothing products and more! The line, developed by Portland-based stylist Eric Nelson is phenomenal and entirely out of the box. The products speak for themselves and I can tell you from experience, they work!

"We are artists with a hair brush, designers with a flat iron, and our graffiti streams from our aerosol can. We fit no mold. We are all unique, as are the clients we shape. It's a passion for hair that bonds us and our love to create,” says Eric. Coming from a family of hairdressers, Eric knows the business like the back of his hand and understands how to create products that are highly functional and good for your hair at the same time. All Sidlab Products are Paraben-free and color-safe. Sidlab will be available at Duque Salon & Spa in Ballard starting tomorrow!

About Sidlab
Sidlab Haircouture is leading the industry in the emergence of high end, fashion forward hair products without harmful ingredients. Sidlab continues to produce its internationally recognized mega-moisturizing, milk-silk protein-rich products. Sensitivity to the health concerns of stylists and clients has motivated Sidlab to create a line of paraben and sodium laureth sulfate-free products. The coconut-based ingredient replacing sodium laureth sulfate is more color safe than its synthetic substitute. Each of the new products displays a pink ribbon on the packaging showing Sidlab Haircouture's support for breast cancer research. Check out what the media is saying about Sidlab by clicking here.


About Duque Salon
Duque is the ultimate trifecta. It’s a salon, spa and boutique all-in-one! The boutique has a little bit of everything including a lavish assortment of jewelry, a full selection of cosmetics, lingerie, and more! The salon focuses on great haircare and stylish cuts plus a full service menu of color! And last but not least, the spa specializes in everything from manicures, pedicures and waxing, to skincare and body treatments. You can literally come to Duque for a haircut, get your nails done in the spa and then pick up some fabulous jewelry for a night on the town. It’s perfect! Duque Salon + Spa + Boutique is located at 5348 Ballard Avenue NW. Here’s an inside tip: All apparel is currently 70% off. Shop the sale now!

Summer Handbag Sale at Clutch

Seattle’s only handbag boutique is having a summer sale featuring 20-40% off bags from Badgley Mischka, Hayden-Harnett, Linea Pelle, Rebecca Minkoff, CC Skye, Treesje, Ashley Watson and more!

Here are a few of my favorite sale bags!

Badgley Mischka Carla Bag featuring removable tassles and gold hardware. Originally $485 and now on sale for $339.50.


Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Black Ostrich mini. Originally $595 on sale for $416.50.


CC Skye Angelina in cream. I love the gold detail on this bag and the additional shoulder strap. Originally $595 on sale for $416.50.

When you stop by the store to shop the sale check out the new arrivals from Teesje, Rebecca Minkoff, Botkier and Elliot Lucca! To shop online click here or keep up with the latest by visiting the Clutch blog.