CHULO PONY

The marketing and PR rep for Chulo Pony sent us some information about their line! Check it out, our friends from up north are definitely on to something!

This romantic label is for the more literary among us. Each season, the creative directors work with a writer to create intricate, brooding tales that explore and mix themes such as history, literature, art and music! Art imitates life, as each piece evokes a beautiful sense of nostalgia (and high drama)!

Chulo Pony is the fashion line of Nettwerk Music Group, Canada's leading privately owned record label and artist management company which represents, among others, Dido, Avril Lavigne and Sarah McLachlan. The designs are worn by celebrities such as Chloë Sevigny, Anne Heche, Sarah Silverman, Sarah McLachlan et al. Get your own...tell 'em I sent ya!

StyleChile readers can save 20% by using the promo code found here!

Photos taken from LA Splash Magazine's coverage of the Mercedes Benz fashion week.

DRESS FOR LESS: MISSONI

Want a cheaper alternative to Mischa's colorful Missoni crochet frock? Check out French Connection's "Riverboat" dress--only £25.00! Eh...not quite the same, but close, right?

STYLECHILE & AMBER MAG!

Boutiques anyone? Check out the rolodex of boutiques that we've assembled over at Amber Magazine! Amber Mag is unquestionably one of the best beauty, health and lifestyle mags for women of color.

Thanks to the fabulous Marcia Cole--Amber Mag Founder and Editorial director (and among other things, former Lifestyles and Features editor at Suede) for giving us the opportunity! Special thanks to so many of our friends, all over the US and the world for submitting boutiques and taking pics. Not every boutique nor region made it in, but more to come!...your help has been very much appreciated!

vintage Suede spread courtesy of The Fashion Bomb!

Stay tuned for StyleStar: Marcia Cole and more on Amber Mag!

RIP LIZ CLAIBORNE

Fashion has suffered an immeasurable loss with the passing of style icon Liz Claiborne.

Her legacy lives on! Read more about her life here.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER...

I thought the more socially conscious among us would appreciate these cute T-shirts! These shirts are scheduled to hatch right now--summer 2007.

Flying Solo, one of three shirts in Rara Avis' summer 2007 line...

Get your limited edition Tee here! StyleChile readers will save 20% off all orders--promo code rare20.

" Our tagline, 'Where Self-Expression Takes Flight', is a reflection of how the brand celebrates the untamed spirit of uncommon individuals."- Jenifer Jacoby, Rara Avis founder and President

Save our world and your wardrobe! A portion of proceeds of all sales are donated to RARE, an organization that provides the tools and motivation for people in the world's most threatened natural areas to care for their natural resources.

ROBERTO CAVALLI + H&M

H&M's latest guest designer is none other than Roberto Cavalli! I'm loving this new trend of pairing high fashion--and ordinarily unattainable designs--with mass retail!!! I can't wait to see the result of this fantastic pairing...H&M is still among my favorite retailers and I love Cavalli's uabashedly sexy asesthetic!

"As the first Italian designer in the history of H&M, I enthusiastically welcomed this invitation, proud to bring the lively and positive spirit of my work to a new audience, who will be able to see and interpret my style in an individual way. I love freedom and challenges: breaking down barriers, experimenting in different directions. H&M is all this for me. I will add a dash of festivity and dreams"- Roberto Cavalli

The line is due out November 8th, but in the meantime, check out the press release, and click here to see a video interview of Cavalli and H&M's head designer, Margareta van den Bosch--it's a wonderful preview of things to come!

Click on the link below for vintage Style Collaborations posts and click here to check out H&M and Viktor and Rolf pairing!

DVB LAUNCH

Posh's DVB line of denim and sunglasses is now available stateside!

Posh looking fresh and clean while rocking her own DVB denim with hot Louboutin's for the launch at her DVB line at Saks a few days ago.

More to come in September, but for now you can shop the Denim by Victoria Beckham collection at Kitson's (jeans ranging from $175-$290)--I love, love, love Victoria's style, but i'm not a fan of the heavy star action on the pockets...

I was not able to find anything from the line on Saks' website, but these sunglasses are available in select locations....Speaking of sunglasses, check out my 'Stunna Shades piece over at Honey!

PATRICK ROBINSON & GAP...& TARGET...

So The Gap has signed Patrick Robinson as the head of Gap Adult! Check out the press release for a summary of the details. The Gap has been quite impressive as of late...I'm super excited to see what happens next!

"Patrick brings broad experience – from high-end fashion to mass market retail – demonstrating his versatility to interpret and create fresh, clean designs true to the Gap brand aesthetic" - Marka Hansen, President of Gap North America

Patrick, a Parson's trained member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, was previously the artistic director of Paco Rabanne in Paris and has held leadership roles with Giorgio Armani's White Label, Perry Ellis and Anne Klein. He most recently collaborrated with Target to launch the International Flights of Fashion line, a portion of which is shown below.

PATRICK ROBINSON INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS OF FASHION FOR TARGET

Left to Right: Shift Dress Brown Medallion Print $34.99, Navy Strapless Dress $34.99, Khaki Linen Jacket $44.99, and Empire V-Neck Tank with Ruffle Detail in Rosette Print $22.99

Click the link below for vintage Style Collaborations!

HOT NEW HUE: ORANGE CRUSH

In keeping with the trend, check out another delicious summer color!

Chloe Sevigny, Raven Symone, Rihanna and Sandra Bullock have already caught on to this trend...

The perfect accessory for this citrusy color? A nice golden glow! Check out my orange picks below...yum!

Top (Left to Right): Crochet bikini 20.00 on Topshop; Paloma for Tiffany's sugar stacks ring $950.00. Middle(Left to Right): Fendi neon buckle wallet $395.00 on eluxury.com;French Connection's Moonbeam dress in siren $158.00; Yves Saint Laurent Lip Twins $30.00 at Nordstroms. Bottom(Left to Right): For the man in your life--sterling silver cufflinks $250.00 at Barney's; Tory Burch's Reva Ballerina Flat in Equestrian Orange $195.00; and Alexis Bittar lucite pyramid bangle $225.00 at Intermix.

For more hot new hues, click on the label below!

THE PORCELAIN GREEN COLLECTION

While browsing online to satisfy my passion for fashion, I came across the new Porcelain Green Collection from Arden B. I was in awe. I fell in love with almost every piece of this collection, which is rare for me. The flowy tops, floral and paisley prints, and micro-mini hemlines are all comfortable and HOT styles for the summer. I have added my favorite pieces from the collection below.

Be sure to check out the entire collection, along with some of their other trendy pieces.

YANA HANDBAGS!

In the spirit of bags, check out these lovely pieces created by gifted designer, Ayana Evans, with whom I share the same alma mater! Nothing beats a talented Brown girl...


...like her website declares, these bags are simply amazing! They're vibrant and luxe, it's no wonder that Yana handbags are carried by celebrity clientele such as Gabrielle Union, MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Elise Neal and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child! The bags are sold on yanahandbags.com and are carried in chic boutiques throughout the country, notably Harriet's Alter Ego and Lola y Maria in NYC.

Check out the slideshow below for some of this past season's bags. Proceeds of the bags (pictured directly below) will be donated to the American Cancer Society...

... hobo $320, cosmetic case $50...

Hurry up and get yours! They're going fast...tell Yana I sent 'ya!

SEEN IN NY: MOCHA CHOCO LATA YA YA...

... or is it caramel, camel, toffee or coffee? This is clearly the color and style of bag for the summer!

anxious shoppers on line outside of Diane von Furstenberg sample sale...

I went to the Diane von Furstenberg sample sale a couple of days ago, where I joined a massive line for the pleasure of rummaging through hundreds, maybe thousands, of dresses, coats, bathing suits and shirts in very close quarters with lots of other eager shoppers! It was well worth it though...I was able to come away with a few wrap dresses all for the price of one. Thanks to Claire of The Fashion Bomb for putting me on! Check out my coffee colored bag picks below and be sure to check out The B-Life for additional summer it bags!

L to R: Marc Jacobs' "Karen" leather frame bag $1,050.00 at net-a-porter; TopShop's oversize slouch bag £100; Rafe New York Jane St. "Kate" large hobo bag on bag, borrow or steal (love this site!); and Asos' sexy cut shopper £15.00!

There's still time to catch the sale...the last day is tomorrow--Friday, June 8th, 9am-3pm!

Diane von Furstenberg Sample Sale
260 Fifth Avenue
Between 28th and 29th Streets
New York, NY
Get there early and be prepared to wait!

STYLESTAR: ELLA JEAN BOUTIQUE

If you want to be counted among the ranks of Philly's finest, you've 'gotta stop into Ella Jean Boutique located in hip Northern Liberties!

The boutique is located right behind Soy Cafe and is a veritable treat for the eyes! The merchandise is also pocketbook friendly with very reasonable prices. Tons of cute vintage pieces and one-of-a kind finds (clothing, jewelry and other accessories) by Indy and Contemporary designers! Keep reading for my interview with Ella Jean founder, Tamika (pictured above)!

Be sure to mention StyleChile for 10% off any vintage clothing or handbags!

Ella Jean
630 North 2nd Street
Fairmount and Spring Garden
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(215) 510.7494

StyleChile: When did you become interested in fashion?
Tamika: Um…I know it was very early. Some of my earliest memories were of me getting new shoes and wearing them around the house for hours when we came home from the store. I also remember the first piece I couldn’t afford but coveted so deeply my aunt finally bought it for me. It was very eighties teal green with huge black stars all over it. I was probably 10. My whole family laughed at me, but I couldn’t have been happier. So…like I said it was early.

StyleChile: Who were your fashion influences?
Tamika: When I was a kid it was Diana Ross all the way. I still strive to achieve that kind of class and grace. In this day, it’s just not something young women and girls embrace anymore.
Now, the most random things will inspire me. It could be the way a mother dresses her child, to any woman or man walking down the street. I’m constantly awed by retro fashions though. An old Audrey Hepburn movie will put a million ideas in my head, thanks to Givenchy of course.

StyleChile: how do you manage to stay fashionable?
Tamika: It’s funny how that’s changed over time. I use to be all over the trends, buy all new stuff every season and it’d be done by the next year. As I’ve gotten older I realize the value in classic style and investing in character defining pieces. Don’t get me wrong trends are great and I follow them when I like them, but it’s important not to be too affected. Don’t live and die by them. You always have to know what looks good on your figure and fits your personality. Don’t spend your rent on the newest logo splattered (insert item here), knowing next season you’ll regret it.

StyleChile: do you have any tips or words of advice for today's fun, fashionable, females?
Tamika: My tip is a very contradictory one. Have fun and release your fears of being judged. At the same time know what looks good on you and stay away from things that don’t. So, yes you may say “I don’t care how I look in my ultra low rise skinny jeans… they’re hot!” , but not necessarily on you sweety. If boot cut still works for you then work the hell out of it and add flare that compliments you. And don’t be afraid to mix styles and trends and “genres” of clothing. Why not pair sexy stilettos with an overly baggy hoody or Chuck Taylors with ripped jeans and a sequin belaro? Challenge yourself and compliment your figure.

StyleChile: how do you stay inspired?
Tamika: It’s tough because you want to create things that people like, but if the trends are leaning toward something you’re completely not into it’s hard feel inspired to create. The last thing you want is to be a clone. You have to be in It and out of It at the same time. Knowing what’s out there enough to stay marketable, but being independent enough to create clothing that’s outside of that box. It’s been said that everything’s already been done. If that’s true then who cares, I just have to do whatever makes me feel free.

Photo Credit: Kelly Turso

OURSTYLE: SUMMER DRESSES

From our closet to yours! We spend a lot of time surfing the net and reading magazines, then try to distill-- most of what we have gleaned from such --and convey to you on our blog. But, as we were getting dressed to go out, this past weekend, the thought occurred to us to share some of our own personal favorites with you! Check out Keisha's picks on the left and Naki's picks on right.

Above you will find some of our favorite summer dresses. We are both lovers of fashion (and are champion shoppers), so the dresses above were culled down from a much larger number...but in the end, we thought these were representative of the look and feel of summer 2007. Note the short lengths and not-so-form fitting silouhette.

Left: grey coat with sateen finish from Forever 21 fits like any dress, super cute for chilly summer evenings; pink t-shirt dress, featuring a deep v-neck in the back, with silver sequined crosses on each side available at Uniqlo; and white linen pocket dress from H&M is great for a summer afternoon date. A HOT Paul Smith dress was not included because it was in the cleaners :(

Right: Big polka dot pocket dress from the Gap is perfect with a cropped denim jacket; navy dress from Kate Moss for Top Shop line for Barneys--be careful, this one is shorter than it appears; and silver and white sequined dress from French Connection is great for a night out on the town--pair with dark tights and silver shoes in winter or open toed silver pumps in the summer!