Fall 2010 collection

Spanish retailer Mango launched its fall 2010 men's and women's collection last night at Madrid's Circulo de Bella Artes with Elettra Wiedemann, Poppy Delevigne, Amanda Hearst, and Coco Summer in attendance. Paisley scarves with fringe, wide-legged wool trousers, chiffon blouses with oversize bows, and smart fedoras dominated the collection heavily influenced by polished 1970s silhouettes.

Madrid 05/26/10

As fans of affordable footwear that doesn't skimp on style, we love Jay Adoni and David Giordano for their creation of Pour la Victoire—edgy, on-trend, and budget-friendly shoes. This July the duo will be launching a handbag collection along with the fall 2010 lineup below. For Pour la Victoire, utilitarian-inspired platform booties are still going strong, with some of their best styles inspired by greatest hits from Burberry, Proenza Schouler, and Rag & Bone. 

Levi's took over the Hosfelt gallery in far West Midtown last Wednesday night to showcase its upcoming Fall denim lines. If its collection is the future of jeans, it's going to look a lot like the past — think skinnies, misc. paint splatters, and intermittent embellishment.

More interesting was the event's concept. Thirty or so models decked out in the collection and on a dais were a visitor's first sight. They were surrounded by a series of photographs commissioned and inspired by Levi's. With neon signs spelling out artsy maxims on the walls, the British band One Eskimo set up in a corner and crooned to the crowd. It was definitely a case of sensory overload, but it was a good way to draw attention to a new collection full of old staples.

Pour la Victoire's David Giordano and Jay Adoni set out to create an innovative footwear line inspired by hard-edge European design houses at an affordable price point in 2008. Encouraged by the immediate success of their shoe collections (highlighted in French Vogue editorials, sold at Bergdorf Goodman), the duo has decided to expand into the handbag market for fall 2010.

With the same dedication to style-meets-quality-at-a-reasonable-price that catapulted their footwear business into the limelight, Brooklyn-based Giordano and Adoni designed individual yet practical (lightweight!) bags for fall. There are cross-body chain-strap styles with buckles, oversize bucket totes with studded bottoms, and slouchy love-worn shoulder bags — all made with rich, textured leathers in shades of black and gray. The collection, which has been named after rock legends (the"Dylan" and "Bowie" are our personal favorites), will retail from $400-$600. At those prices, we might just have to splurge on more than one . . .