September 15, 2011

NY Fashion Week: More lines, Central Park, and Scenes from 9/11

Today’s the first morning I’ve had all week to really sit down, look at all the images my husband Edric and I have been taking…and write. I needed to pull out for an hour and get some kind of semblance of my normal routine in San Francisco, so I went for a long  run in Central Park, grabbed a breakfast sandwich at a liquor-store-deli after, (which had a line out the door–so I figured it must be cheap and/or good!), and stopped for a Starbucks iced coffee (it’s pushing 80 degrees with high humidity).

A view from my run this morning through Central Park.

 

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September 14, 2011

Tracy Reese’s Nature-Inspired Collection and NYC on 9/11

Tracy Reese was the first show I attended this week at the Lincoln Center Theater, and it happened to fall on 9/11. I was curious to see what might be in store for the 10th anniversary of the tragedy in the U.S. city hit the hardest.

Sunflower print blouse, cropped high-waisted pant, and mustard anorak by Tracy Reese. Photography by Edric Itchon.

 

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September 12, 2011

Parachuting into New York Fashion Week: Backstage and Beyond

I parachuted into New York Fashion Week on Saturday, with the Spring/Summer 2012  shows already under way. So far, the collections I’ve seen have proven to be playful, exciting, and colorful—all that you’d expect from the season.

Backstage tonight at Marc by Marc Jacobs.

 

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September 8, 2011

Fashion’s Night Out SF Link Love: Where to Party Tonight

Fashion’s having a party tonight—and everyone’s invited. The annual international event has arrived once again, with retailers around the globe hosting complimentary special events, extended shopping hours, cocktail soirees, and more—all in anticipation of the official kickoff to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

Here’s a down-and-dirty round-up of Fashion’s Night Out local event listings for anyone looking for a late night of shopping, people-watching and party-hopping in the Bay Area.

SF Pop Sugar

SF Gate

SF Union Square

Neiman Marcus

Macy’s

Saks Fifth Avenue

Santana Row

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September 6, 2011

My Favorite Outfit: Fashion Designer Bora Han

This week officially kicks off the fashion industry’s fall frenzy starting with national Fashion’s Night Out and the launch of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York on Thursday. While I’m busy already prepping and packing for my trip east to cover the shows (stay tuned for future posts backstage from Rodarte and Marc Jacobs!), I’m reminded that there’s some serious talent waiting to be discovered right here in San Francisco.

Fashion designer Bora Han. Photography by Tedd Moon.

Bora Han is an up-and-coming women’s wear designer I predict will headline at Lincoln Center one day. A native of Tokyo, Japan, Han has an intriguing international background and an innovative, original aesthetic.

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August 31, 2011

Inside the New Telegraph Hill Levi’s Boutique and … Could Dockers Be Having Its “Moment?”

Inside the new Levi Strauss & Co. "neighborhood store" in Telegraph Hill, inside the SF retailer's world headquarters. All photos by Edric Itchon.

Did you know that a chic, new Levi Strauss store opened at the sprawling Levi’s headquarters in Telegraph Hill? Apparently the word’s still getting out, and to help garner some buzz for the eight-month-old boutique-concept store, the folks at Levi’s threw a swanky soiree at the shop last night for friends and media.

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July 29, 2011

Elie Saab’s Le Parfum Sneak Preview at Vogue Party

On Tuesday night, I got a sneak preview of haute couture designer Elie Saab’s debut women’s fragrance at an elegant launch party hosted by Vogue. The private event at the Clift Hotel drew an intimate crowd of local fashion, beauty, media and PR reps who sat down in the Spanish Suite to view a 20-minute film about the Lebanese designer’s behind-the-scenes work on the runway and the making of his first parfum.

After the film, in dramatic form, models accessorized in Elie Saab statement jewelry unveiled oversized bottles of “the juice” and presented each guest with a white grosgrain ribbon spritzed with the signature scent. Two lucky guests also walked away with the jewelry, which was raffled off as prizes.

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July 26, 2011

New Bay Area Swimsuit Lines Make a Splash

As seen in the San Francisco Chronicle July 24, 2011

Saga Swimwear's bright Boston one-piece ($155) makes for a stark contrast in design. Photo by Haggai Cohen Milo

Nerissa Pacio Itchon, Special to The Chronicle

In San Francisco, beach attire usually calls for wetsuits, not swimsuits. Women are more likely to build a scarf collection than a bikini wardrobe.

That’s just fine with Michelle Byrnes, designer and founder of Saga Swimwear, and Lynn Werner, CEO and founder of Lynnina, two Bay Area entrepreneurs who recently launched their own swimwear lines with the jet-setting urbanite in mind.

For 29-year-old Byrnes, a San Francisco City College fashion design graduate, running her boutique brand of sexy one- and two-piece suits out of her Noe Valley home was a no-brainer.

Byrnes, who was born in Hawaii but grew up in the Mission District, has had a longtime obsession with swimsuits. Limited to finding swimwear only in the summertime in a smattering of boutiques and department stores, Byrnes wanted to provide “city girls” with a local outlet to find modern, well-made swimsuits year round.

Nearly as passionate about collecting shoes and coats, Byrnes finally decided to plunge into swimsuits in 2008 when she partnered up with former roommate Alex McCauley, 25, to launch Saga because of their shared fascination with swimwear and the playful connotations bathing suits brought to mind.

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July 20, 2011

Hayes Valley shops keep charm amid rapid growth

As seen in the San Francisco Chronicle July 10, 2011

Illustration courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle

Nerissa Pacio Itchon, Special to The Chronicle

With the burst of activity happening in Hayes Valley lately, it’s hard to believe this bustling San Francisco neighborhood has nary a Starbucks in sight. From the groundbreaking of the $50 million SF Jazz Center and the opening of high-end spin-offs to several existing boutiques, to the new restaurant flurry and more to come, one might expect to find shoppers – Venti Mocha Frappuccinos in hand – walking their well-groomed labradoodles.

But ask anyone who knows this charmingly compact, decidedly big-chain-averse neighborhood and they’ll assure you that although the Valley is growing rapidly, its personality is definitively intact.
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June 22, 2011

Melissa and Catie Grimm grow boutique from the ground up

In addition to running Carrots in San Francisco, sisters Melissa (left) and Catie Grimm write the blog Carrot Talk, where they mix their passions for fashion and food. Photography by Russell Yip / The Chronicle

As seen in the San Francisco Chronicle, Sunday, June 19, 2011

Nerissa Pacio Itchon, Special to The Chronicle

One look at the Grimm sisters’ blog Carrot Talk, and it’s obvious that their love of food and fashion go hand in hand.

As scions of the Central Valley Grimmway baby carrots empire and co-owners of Jackson Square’s aptly named Carrots boutique, Melissa and Catie Grimm pepper posts about their latest designer discoveries with ebullient food musings – from restaurant raves to gourmet recipes they’ve tried at home.

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