fashionologie

fashionologie — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:32:25 PDT

>> Mary-Kate, Ashley Olsen Introduce Elizabeth and James Fine Jewelry - Midway through 2008, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen announced they were collaborating with Robert Lee Morris on jewelry for their contemporary line, Elizabeth and James. Now, for Spring, they're moving away from Robert Lee Morris and into more upscale territory with fine jewelry. Morris will continue to produce the most popular pieces from seasons past, but his name is being dropped from the line because the Olsens are now taking a more active role in designing the collection. There's also an uptick in prices, which now reach into the thousands - some of the bar rings, necklaces, and pendants flaunt sapphires and pave diamonds. [Fashionista, FabSugar]

First Look: Elizabeth and James Shoes, Spring 2009 Jewelry

fashionologie — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:56:07 PDT

>> Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are known for being press-shy, but yesterday they let The Oprah Winfrey Show follow them around on a typical day - which means stops at the Elizabeth and James and The Row showrooms for model fittings, plus meetings with Robert Lee Morris about their ongoing jewelry collaboration. Morris jokes: "Ashley will show up a few days later and undo everything that Mary-Kate did," and the twins do admit that if they can't agree on something, they scrap the idea. We also get a peek at the Spring 2009 Elizabeth and James jewelry - lots of layered chains - and also their new shoe collaboration with Steve Madden - think "beigey suede" and pony skin.

Elizabeth and James Jewelry Ready to Intermix with the Rest of Your Collection

fashionologie — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 15:23:52 PDT

>> Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's jewelry collaboration with Robert Lee Morris for their Elizabeth and James line isn't supposed to hit stores until September, but Intermix already has a few pieces we haven't seen before available for pre-order, $125-$525, including a rad gold dagger necklace. [Intermix]

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The Olsens Add a Little Gold and Silver to their Elizabeth and James Empire

fashionologie — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:59:37 PDT

>> It's all thanks to a video montage at last year's CFDA Awards. The tribute to jewelry designer Robert Lee Morris, who has worked with everyone from Calvin Klein to Karl Lagerfeld, attracted the attention of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. "I was so moved," Ashley said.

The twins asked Morris to help create an 80-plus piece jewelry collection for their wildly successful contemporary line Elizabeth and James, and the product — thick silver cuffs and rings, earrings and necklaces accented with turquoise beading, crosses and daggers — hits stores in September.

The cool part about it is that the pieces are made to be mix-and-match, with an emphasis placed on the classic — which sounds very much like Ashley's touch. As she explained it to WWD,

We liked the idea of having playful elements along with timeless and ageless pieces. The symbols are attachable and you can take the jewelry and make it your own. There are solid silver and gold pieces to wear forever and comfort pieces that you'll put on and wear everywhere.

I wonder how long before we're hearing about Elizabeth and James bags and shoes?
*image: source

Olsens, Robert Lee Morris Collaborate on Jewelry for Elizabeth and James

fashionologie — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:55:13 PDT

>> Coming your way: a jewelry collaboration between Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and CFDA award-winning jewelry designer Robert Lee Morris for the Olsen's contemporary line Elizabeth and James.

The project has been in the works for the past few months — the twins are big RLM fans — and the line of silver and brass dagger necklaces, amorphous knuckle rings, and edgy earrings will be available in the next few months.

*images: source

The Fashion World Reacts to Alexander McQueen's Death

fashionologie — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:27:51 PST

>> The news of Alexander McQueen's death hung like a dark cloud over the Fashion Week events today. The McQueen store down the street from Milk Studios in Manhattan, where a number of shows were held today, had its windows covered with white paper; a placard left on the ground outside. Passersby left flowers and notes in a makeshift memorial out front. Barneys, too, changed out its windows in tribute to McQueen - the store sold over 500 McQueen scarves today.

This morning at the BCBG show, just as the news broke, Anna Wintour left before the show's finale. The Ports 1961 show held a moment of silence in honor of McQueen, Cushnie et Ochs included a tribute note in their show's program, and at the LnA after party this evening, Patti Smith dedicated her performance to the designer.

Kate Moss, who was scheduled to hold a launch party for her Longchamp collection in London, postponed the event to mourn her friend. More changes to the calendar may be made: The Cut is reporting that editors might leave New York Fashion Week early for London in light of McQueen's death.

On Twitter, there was an outpouring of grief from the industry, collected below. T's Stefano Tonchi told The Cut he partially blames the rapidly increasing speed of the fashion system for McQueen's suicide:

We all know that this is a very critical moment in fashion, and that basically he is the first victim of what is a conflict between creativity and business. Today to be a fashion designer, you have to be a superman or superwoman. You have to have nerves of steel. You have to be so strong. And if you are a little bit weak, if you have psychological problems or weakness, you end up like him.” When McQueen began in fashion, designers worked on two or three collections a year, said Tonchi. “Now you have to be a business manager, a marketer. It’s, what? Eight, ten, fifteen collections a year. Men’s, women’s, couture, diffusion. Then they want accessories. Then they want watches. Then they want jewelry. It’s a machine, and I think that killed him.

Words from John Galliano, Anna Wintour, and many, many, more »

fashionologie — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:51:34 PDT

“

Speaking with Ashley was more like chatting with the president of a business . . . we talked executive stuff: licensing, retail strategies and how the merchandising and branding business has changed since the Olsens launched Dualstar over 15 years ago. Our conversation lasted about 25 minutes before someone on her public relations team jumped in.

My conversation with Mary-Kate was shorter and a bit more frantic . . . She talked about going into Robert Lee Morris’ studio and playing dress-up with his couture pieces. I asked her how she felt about fame. “I don’t know how to answer that question.” It wasn’t long before someone cut in.

”- Caroline Tell, Accessories Market Editor of WWD, on interviewing the Olsens about their new jewelry line