News from ApparelMagic clients

Sirens of social media take note: wearing any of ApparelMagic client Sachin & Babi’s spring collection will make your next vacation’s content go viral.

Taking a turn from the ballroom to the beach, the spring collection takes resort-style staples and glams them up for evening. Designers Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia gave their clothes the influencer treatment, in the best way possible.

A post shared by Sachin & Babi (@sachinandbabi) on Sep 7, 2017 at 1:46pm PDT

Statement accessories? Turkish hammam tassels hung off the hem of many looks, and long earring versions in bright red are all you need for an on-trend selfie.

Vivid colors? Sachin & Babi rendered their chic eveningwear in icy blue chiffon, marigold yellow satin, and millennial pink taffeta. These screen-friendly blocks of bright color are perfect for any jet-setter on holiday.

Dramatic volumes? Never fearing a ballgown silhouette, the designers featured high-low dresses and trapeze-shaped beach cover-ups any social media scroller would double tap.

A post shared by Sachin & Babi (@sachinandbabi) on Sep 7, 2017 at 8:52am PDT

Iconic graphics? T-shirts embellished with a bold set of red lips make the airplane seat selfie fun when there’s not enough elbow room for one of Sachin & Babi’s diaphanous gowns.

All that’s left is for Instagram influencers to hop on a plane and wear these picture-perfect dresses on terraces overlooking the Mediterranean.

A post shared by Sachin & Babi (@sachinandbabi) on Sep 7, 2017 at 3:05pm PDT

Liya Kebede is one of the world’s most in-demand supermodels, walking on red carpets in New York and runways in Paris and representing brands like Estée Lauder, Louis Vuitton, and Gap, but that doesn’t stop this Ethiopian-born beauty from giving back. Kebede, a Glamour magazine Woman of the Year and one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, isn’t just a Vogue covergirl: she’s a force for change in the world, starting with her roots in Africa.

A post shared by lemlem (@lemlemnyc) on Jun 3, 2017 at 8:32pm PDT

lemlem, Her line of clothing and homewares launched a decade ago, gives jobs to weavers and traditional craftspeople, many of whom are women, and is proudly made in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Madagascar. This is no vanity project: everything from yarn-spinning to embroidery is done in Africa, and lemlem, an ApparelMagic client, is committed to helping improve these artisans’ quality of life by utilizing their special skills.

A post shared by lemlem (@lemlemnyc) on May 16, 2017 at 2:09pm PDT

From gauzy caftans handwoven in Kenya to tank tops embroidered in Rwanda, lemlem’s clothes don’t just do good, they look good. In addition to its men’s, women’s, and children’s lines, lemlem also creates home textiles and collaborates with Ancient Greek Sandals on footwear.

In addition to the line of clothing, lemlem also benefits the lemlem Foundation, a nonprofit aiming at improving maternal care in Ethiopia. Learn more about the lemlem Foundation here.

A post shared by lemlem (@lemlemnyc) on May 25, 2017 at 1:35pm PDT

The stars of movies, music, TV, and fashion converged last night at the Met Gala in New York City. The red carpet, often deemed the “Fashion Oscars” due to the high-profile celebrities, included a number of them promoting ApparelMagic clients.

The subject of the 2016 documentary The First Monday in May, the Met Gala is an annual fundraiser headed by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

With this year’s exhibition celebrating designer Rei Kawakubo’s visionary body of work, the typically white-tie dress code directed these VIPs to go out of their comfort zone with avant-garde looks.

A post shared by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on May 1, 2017 at 10:33pm PDT

Just weeks after the end of her groundbreaking HBO series Girls, Lena Dunham was back in the spotlight in a ballgown by ApparelMagic client Elizabeth Kennedy. Worn with her trademark irreverence, the off-the-shoulder number referenced motifs running through the Met’s exhibition: namely, the tartans and plaids Kawakubo is drawn back to again and again and her lifelong affinity with assymmetry. Topping the Elizabeth Kennedy gown off with a messy bun and casual bangs, Dunham found the perfect balance between her elegant eveningwear and her fun-loving demeanor.

A post shared by Getty Images Entertainment (@gettyentertainment) on May 2, 2017 at 9:35am PDT

Jenni Konner, a director, writer, and producer on HBO’s Girls, twinned with her partner in crime in a merlot column dress, also by ApparelMagic client Elizabeth Kennedy. With huge bell sleeves cinched with black straps, Konner’s dress was a punky take on formalwear. Elizabeth Kennedy, an emerging designer brand, is quickly becoming the modern woman’s one-stop shop for dramatic but unfussy evening dresses.

A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine) on May 1, 2017 at 10:05pm PDT

Solange Knowles is topping not just the charts, but now even topping Vogue’s Best Dressed List. In a cold-weather tuxedo by ApparelMagic client Thom Browne from his Fall 2017 show, Solange showed that her sister Beyonce is not the only force to be reckoned with in both music and fashion. The Thom Browne ensemble, a down-filled puffer overcoat with a long train, cemented the Cranes in the Sky singer’s status as a tastemaker.

A post shared by cynthiaerivo (@cynthiaerivo) on May 1, 2017 at 8:27pm PDT

With the front page news in the theatre world of her new award earlier this week, Cynthia Erivo is a rising star. The Grammy, Tony, and now Emmy winner chose ApparelMagic client Thom Browne for this occasion for a surreal ballgown-style assemblage of deconstructed tailoring. Walking up the Met’s grand stair like a 2017 Marie Antoinette, her hair was styled in the Louis XVI pouf style paired with a dress substituting panniers for white brocade blazers.

A post shared by Thom Browne (@thombrowneny) on May 3, 2017 at 2:46pm PDT

Superstar rapper Wiz Khalifa isn’t the first person you’d expect to see in white tie and tales, but at a gala exhibiting an iconoclastic designer, the combination seems especially opportune. The graphic tailcoat and waistcoat offer the perfect contrast to his many, many tattoos and over the top jewelry. With a pair of low key sunglasses to shield his eyes from a blinged out watch, Khalifa is this century’s perfect gentleman in his Thom Browne finery.

A post shared by diplo (@diplo) on May 2, 2017 at 8:19am PDT

DJ and music producer Diplo took some time off the top 40 to take in the sights at the Costume Institute in a suit by ApparelMagic client Thom Browne. Trimmed in black grosgrain and hemmed into the designer’s signature cropped silhouette, the suit made the Grammy winner into every bit the heartthrob.

America, the beautiful. Public School’s Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne put out a collection this season at New York Fashion Week dedicated to their country from sea to shining sea. Or maybe more accurately, From Manhattan city street to great plains field to Los Angeles basketball court. Indeed, with models wearing clever red caps proclaiming “Make America New York” and fuzzy white moccasins, you knew this wasn’t a standard star-spangled version of the United States.

A post shared by PUBLIC SCHOOL (@publicschoolnyc) on Feb 13, 2017 at 3:16pm PST

Looking to bring together the red and the blue—literally, in the case of some patriotic paisleys, and geopolitically, with urban streetwear and farmers’ plaids—Public School found a bipartisan approach with the most chic denim on denim looks for some and deconstructed suiting with open shoulders for others. This was anything, though, but a compromise.

Somewhere between a hoodie screen printed with a close up of Michael Jordan’s face and a mean set of cranberry colored jackets, you could tell that this folksy-varsity hybrid was exactly what the country needed. Or at least the fashion industry.

A post shared by PUBLIC SCHOOL (@publicschoolnyc) on Feb 14, 2017 at 12:26pm PST

Starting with the runway itself, which was set with vignettes of furniture from their brand-new home line, this was a season of firsts for Badgley Mischka. The ApparelMagic client is known around the world for their elegant gowns and cocktail dresses, but starting this fall, their loyal customers can wear Badgley Mischka all day long.

A post shared by Badgley Mischka (@badgleymischka) on Feb 15, 2017 at 7:56am PST

The show began with thirty-some-odd iterations of their impeccable eveningwear, this season turning towards old 1940s Hollywood for inspiration. Every dress was gorgeous, as can be expected from these red carpet masters: some sleek columns in midnight blue sequins, others goddess style in diaphanous red chiffon. Each look was set off with the model’s bright red lips and strong, screen siren brows. One shirtdress in particular, lushly embroidered in metallics over sheer panels, seemed absolutely finale-worthy. But the boys at Badgley Mischka had a trick up their sleeve: their new daytime ready-to-wear line.

Bridging the divide between comfortable and classy, the new line included everything from luxe velour sweatsuit separates to swing coats paired with easy slacks and leggings. Accessories were elevated with youthful details like embellishments on slip-on sneakers and fur pom-poms on beanie hats. Whether a fancy film premiere or a casual weekend movie at home, the new Badgley Mischka is a 24/7 lifestyle brand.

A post shared by Badgley Mischka (@badgleymischka) on Feb 21, 2017 at 8:08am PST

Leave it to New York’s premier provocateurs to show their latest fall collection in an abandoned store in midtown Manhattan. The dated, neglected retail space, patchy carpet and all, proved to be the perfect foil for Eckhaus Latta’s dowdy-cum-avant-garde designs. The ApparelMagic clients, a design duo of Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta, have been upending the trend-driven fashion landscape with their own brand of cerebral cool, but this collection shows that they are ready for the big leagues.

A post shared by @eckhaus_latta on Feb 19, 2017 at 1:27pm PST

Fabricating much of the clothing on display in shiny outerwear nylon, the designers took on classic American sportswear in the most underground of ways. The first model out wore a jacket in fleece tie-dyed like a microbial culture and a skirt that could button away from midi to mini at a moment’s notice. Another innovative look included felt leggings that below the knee were sliced and diced into pointe shoe ribbons.

In keeping with the label’s progressive slant, the show was often androgynous, with menswear taking cues from women in the knitwear department, and both genders wearing mannish, square-shouldered blazers. One male model wore a head-to-toe safety orange number, as if to announce: “This is Eckhaus Latta, and this is the face of fashion today.”

A post shared by @eckhaus_latta on Feb 14, 2017 at 8:55am PST

What could be more luxurious than wrapping yourself in huge swathes of crimson velvet? Not much, according to Zero + Maria Cornejo. The ApparelMagic client’s fall runway show at New York Fashion Week was dedicated to the indulgent fabric in all of its luster.

A post shared by firstVIEW (@firstviewphoto) on Feb 13, 2017 at 4:35pm PST

Sticking to mostly oversized volumes, each piece felt generous and a little bit decadent, starting with loose A-line skirts with hems that sinuously dipped and peaked paired with roomy sweaters and punctuated by bright red velvet sandals or tall, slouchy boots.

Shoulders were on display, many casually exposed through wide necklines or sensual cut outs. A pair of evening shell tops in gold and red velvet were cinched at the neckline on one side and elegantly slid off the opposite shoulder.

Cornejo took a similarly restrained look at daywear. Confining herself to a palette of mostly neutrals, she let her loose silhouettes in fine wools and silks do the talking. If their subtle luxury wasn’t clear enough, a couple of Mongolian lamb jackets and coats were thrown into the mix. Cornejo’s vision of luxury is understated and elegant, but at the same time, it’s modern enough for today’s woman.

A post shared by Zero + Maria Cornejo (@zeromcornejo) on Feb 14, 2017 at 3:13pm PST

From their looks to the way they move, penguins are arguably the funniest of the animal kingdom. And for a designer who loves to inject more than a little bit of humor into his fashion, Thom Browne’s adoption of a penguin motif this season seems particularly apt.

A post shared by Thom Browne (@thombrowneny) on Feb 18, 2017 at 10:31am PST

Staging his typically wacky piece of theatre on a set imitating a frozen lake and surrounded by these chilly birds (sewn in wool houndstooth, of course,) the ApparelMagic client brought forth an cadre of ice skating tomboys in suiting that ranged from steadfastly conservative with only outré proportions to mark Browne’s involvement all the way to the far-out groovy of one particular astrakhan overcoat paneled in primary colors to duplicate a childish illustration of a storybook-style prairie church.

The penguin motif appeared in a dozen iterations. Sometimes it was nearly tessellated on a patent leather coat, other times a full-size version functioned as a leather handbag. The final models, however, in their black and white and bow ties, reminded us that while the classic tuxedo is often jokingly called a “penguin suit,” under Browne’s supervision it can be as modern and chic as it is funny.

A post shared by Thom Browne (@thombrowneny) on Feb 18, 2017 at 7:01am PST