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Kid Shopping

Line We Love: Stella Cove's Stylish Swimsuits

Whether you're planning a Spring getaway or getting prepped for a fun Summer in the sun, your little ones probably need a swimsuit update, and Stella Cove is the place to get it.

Whether you're planning a Spring getaway or getting prepped for a fun Summer in the sun, your little ones probably need a swimsuit update, and Stella Cove is the place to get it. Stella Cove's swimwear collection for children (you'll find suits in sizes for kids from 12 months to 14 years old) is full of bright, whimsical graphics — ballet flats, rubber duckies, skulls, headphones, and grapefruits are just some of our favorites — that will ensure your little one is the beach's best dressed kid. Bikinis, swimsuits for boys and girls, rash guards, and cool cover-ups make up the chic selection, which is as stylish as it is eco-friendly. All the suits are oekotex certified; meaning Stella Cove uses no harmful chemicals in the fabric. Check out some of our favorites from the line now — and moms, take note: Stella Cove also offers some super stylish grown-up designs that might inspire you to add to your own swimwear wardrobe, as well!

Shopping

Get Playful With Friends & Associates Spring 2013

Come warm weather, everyone needs a carefree uniform to slip on.
Friends & Associates Spring 2013 | Pictures

Come warm weather, everyone needs a carefree uniform to slip on. Baseball tees, boxy shifts, tennis skirts — they're the stuff of summertime wardrobe dreams. And if they come in fabrics like watery silk or can't-look-away gingham checks, then all the better.

That's the premise, anyway, behind Matthew Edelstein's label Friends & Associates, and it's a premise that works. For these are jaunty separates and airy silhouettes that not only scream playtime — bike rides, picnics, boating — but they're also grown-up enough that they'll fit right in on a city rooftop with a cocktail in hand. One wide-cut t-shirt dress in vibrant Little Orphan Annie red, for example, is actually made of buttery silk, while a black and white plaid skirt is made all the more kicky thanks to the cheery addition of godet pleats.

Though this latest collection won't be available until April (just in time for fireflies and capture the flag), the debut Resort 2013 collection is available to shop now on the brand's website. An exclusive look at the full Spring 2013 collection — priced $129-$415 — right here.

Photos: Hugh Lippe courtesy of Friends & Associates

Editor's Pick

Mara Hoffman, Pamela Love, and More Team With Bona Drag For Bridal Collection

For those who cringe at the very mention of traditional wedding garb, now there's this.
Mara Hoffman, Pamela Love Bona Drag Bridal Collection

For those who cringe at the very mention of traditional wedding garb, now there's this. Online boutique Bona Drag has partnered with indie favorites Mara Hoffman, Pamela Love, Lindsey Thornburg, Samantha Pleet, Anna Sheffield, Meredith Kahn, and more on what can only be described as the least fussy bridal collection around. Even the name, "Ceremonial Collection," underscores the capsule's unconventional nature.

"I've learned that when buying, a lot of customers take things very literally," Bona Drag founder Heather Wojner explained. "If it doesn't say 'bridal' then they assume it can't be just that. I wanted to help show our customers where they can bend the rules, and that they don't have to be a cookie-cutter bride."

To that end, the collection is filled with exclusive pieces that are pretty, yes, but also tinged with edge. A ring set from Unearthen, for example, comes adorned with raw quartz, while Anna Sheffield's solitaires are punctuated with pitch-black diamonds and onyx. Gowns, too, come in unexpected shapes and hues: there's a dress in gothic black lace from Lover, and Mara Hoffman (who recently designed pal Pamela Love's wedding dress) offers an intricately-beaded chiffon dress with a neckline so daringly low it would probably be considered quite le scandale in any regular church.

"It's only natural for my brand to collaborate with Bona Drag on exclusive ceremony gowns," Lindsey Thornburg — who created two reversible gowns for the collection — explained. "Bona Drag understands what our clientele wants to drape themselves in for all of life's cherished moments."

See the entire lookbook — photographed by Wojner and Mike Goelzer — here.

Shoes

First Look — Max Kibardin's Fall 2012 Collection Comes To America

>> If the name Max Kibardin doesn't sound familiar yet, it will soon.
Max Kibardin Shoes and Bags Fall 2012 Pictures

>> If the name Max Kibardin doesn't sound familiar yet, it will soon. Kibardin's eponymous line of women's shoes and handbags will be in Saks Fifth Avenue's New York flagship store this month. We wouldn't be surprised if a few more stores carried the line by the time his Fall collection goes on sale.

Kibardin told Vogue that his design ethos toes the line between what's old and what's new. "You have to be classic, but you have to have some news," he said. Kibardin manages to achieve that blend by taking classic designs and rendering them in unexpected materials or by altering well-known shapes to give them new life. His signature stiletto, for example, looks almost as though it's being squished by the weight of the wearer's heel — but his handbags wouldn't look out of place on the arm of Queen Elizabeth II.

Take a first look at the collection here. Kibardin's Fall men's shoes are included, but won't be available in the United States for a little while longer.

Photos Courtesy of Max Kibardin

Shopping

Maiyet — Now Available Online

>> Old world tradition meets new world luxury in Maiyet.
Maiyet Spring 2012

>> Old world tradition meets new world luxury in Maiyet. The brainchild of human rights lawyer Paul van Zyl, social entrepreneur Daniel Lubetzky, and fashion industry veteran Kristy Caylor, Maiyet merges the talents of traditional artisans from all over the globe with the kind of high-end design aesthetic and attention to detail not normally associated with socially-conscious clothing.

"We are pioneering a new luxury by celebrating the rare and unexpected — rare skill sets from unexpected places. So we incorporate old traditions in untraditional ways, and in doing so we promote entrepreneurship, prosperity, and dignity in the places that need it most," Caylor explains. That means block prints from Jaipur, hand embroidery from India, metal work from Nairobi, and leather craft from Italy are all carefully developed with the original artisans — and then integrated into a modern collection of ready-to-wear, jewelry, shoes, and handbags.

Now the line — first launched in Paris for Spring 2012 — has just landed in the US, exclusively at Barneys. An up-close look at pieces from the collection ($595–$2,400) — plus a peek at the entire Cass Bird-lensed ad campaign starring Daria Werbowy and styled by Lori Goldstein — here, in the slideshow.

Shopping

Meredith Wendell's Gorgeously Sporty Fall 2011 Collection

>> Accessories line Meredith Wendell is relatively new — but its colorblock bags, quirky-chic belts, and geo-pop baubles are already regular fixtures on the pages of Vogue, Elle, W, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire.
Meredith Wendell Fall 2011

>> Accessories line Meredith Wendell is relatively new — but its colorblock bags, quirky-chic belts, and geo-pop baubles are already regular fixtures on the pages of Vogue, Elle, W, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire. Created in 2008 by husband-and-wife duo Meredith and Wendell German, the line features strong silhouettes, luxurious textures, and richly-vibrant color combinations — a sporty-luxe aesthetic that's right in step with the mood of recent seasons. "The color inspiration comes mainly from The Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia. I spent my childhoods there, and the Dorothy Draper-designed interiors are so vibrant and dynamic, it’s hard not to become inspired," Meredith explains. In fact, In fact, the Greenbrier is such a strong influence that in recent seasons, the Germans have traveled to West Virginia to shoot the line's lookbooks — lushly styled by friend and creative collaborator Beth Fenton — on the grounds of the storied hotel.

Here, a look at the current collection — including images from the Chris Brooks-shot lookbook, and a selection of pieces (priced from $220 to $1,900) currently available to shop online.

perry ellis

Tyler Alexandra's Softly Luxe Spring 2012 Collection

>> Tyler Ellis wants to make pieces that are timeless, timely, and sophisticated — or as she puts it, "based on classical elegance with a modern edge."
Tyler Alexandra Spring 2012

>> Tyler Ellis wants to make pieces that are timeless, timely, and sophisticated — or as she puts it, "based on classical elegance with a modern edge." If that credo sounds familiar, it should: Ellis is the daughter of Perry Ellis, a designer revered the world over for his clean-lined, understated approach to modern sportswear.

Inspired by her late father, Ellis created the Tyler Alexandra handbag line in 2010, and, with its architectural silhouettes and refined materials, the collection manages to strike a balance between luxurious and wearable. "It is all about distinctive shapes and, most importantly, touch. I chose leathers and skins that differed from the norm," Tyler Ellis explains. Slim box bags and chain-strap pouches come in a super-tactile assortment; there is suede baby-blue crocodile, pearly fuschia satin, and even a metallic "tweed" calfskin.

Handmade in Paris and Italy, the bags are also rife with the kind of smart details and personal touches one would expect from the daughter of an American design icon: Interior pockets are roomy, hardware is feminine, and each bag is adorned with a signature pinecone fastener. "[Pinecones hold] the spiritual significance of eternity, dating all the way back to ancient Egypt. When I was developing my brand in Paris, I began to notice the city is full of pinecones — door handles, tops of poles, the garden at the Ritz — so I decided to make the pinecone the Tyler Alexandra symbol, and hope to be around for eternity."

Click through to see the full Tyler Alexandra Spring 2012 collection, available via the brand's website and at Louis Boston starting in mid-December.


Photos Courtesy of Tyler Alexandra

Shopping

Roarke New York's Transition-Perfect Necklaces

>> Roarke New York's intricately beaded scarf-necklace hybrids are the perfect Fall accessory: a little glam, super versatile, and they just happen to fit perfectly with this season's neck-centric mood.
Statement Necklaces - Fall 2011 Accessories Trends - Roarke New York

>> Roarke New York's intricately beaded scarf-necklace hybrids are the perfect Fall accessory: a little glam, super versatile, and they just happen to fit perfectly with this season's neck-centric mood.

 

"Our pieces are mainly produced in India, where the attention to detail is like no other," says Laetitia Stanfield, one half of the Roarke duo that also includes designer Mignonne Gavigan. The pair met and founded the line in 2009, after doing stints at Bergdorf Goodman (Stanfield) and Marc Jacobs (Gavigan). The Roarke girls also both count Paris as a former home, citing the city as a huge source of inspiration. "Our travels play a large part in the designs, as does the idea of mixing old with new. We find a lot of inspiration from vintage and flea markets, and rework the details to give them the Roarke touch."

 

Ranging from around $100 to $725, the line not only features the brand's signature bib necklaces, but also a selection of other accessories — including bracelets, headpieces, and coming later this Fall, a range of high-end handbags. "We are just putting our finishing touches on it," confirms Stanfield.

 

Click through to shop a selection of our favorite Roarke New York necklaces, all currently available online at Shopbop.