fashionologie

Isabel and Ruben Toledo Design Limited Edition Summer Essentials for Target

coutorture — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 06:33:18 PDT

To celebrate the opening of the Target location on 116th street in East Harlem, Isabel and Ruben Toledo have teamed up to create a limited-edition collection of summer essentials-t shirts, bikinis, sarongs, and beach towels-each featuring Ruben's signature illustrations, and Isabel's sharp attention to design. The colorful printed bikinis above are just one example of this perfectly matched pairing. The complete collection will be sold in the East Harlem store beginning July 25 and online starting August 1, where five percent of Toledo-designed purchases will go to support the couple's cause of choice-Harlem’s El Museo del Barrio. Click below to view the Toledo-designed lineup for Target.

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Fashion in 50 Seconds 11/02/09 Ruben Toledo's "Fashionation"

coutorture — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:44:08 PST

Ruben Toledo confirms his book of illustrations, Fashionation, will be published by Karl Lagerfeld and 7L next year.

Harper's Bazaar will feature Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson on its December cover.

M.A.C commits to sponsoring New York Fashion Week at Milk Studios for another two years.

L'Wren Scott is rumored to be working on a project with Lancôme.

Alexander Wang's Rocco bag already sold out for spring 2010.

Cindy Crawford will guest judge Project Runway on November 5th.

Source: Getty

Narciso Rodriguez Loosens Up for Spring 2010, Signs Deal with eBay for Lower-Priced Line

fashionologie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:02:54 PDT

>> Designers collectively seem to be over the ubiquitous body-con, hard-edged rock'n'roll look that has swept fashion for the past few seasons: Lorenzo Martone said Marc Jacobs is; Elise Overland told WWD: "I’m tired of that rock-star style - everyone else is doing it now, so I wanted to do something different"; and Joseph Altuzarra, who has focused on form-fitting silhouettes in the past, added some flounce this time around.

Narciso Rodriguez, who like Altuzarra typically goes with a lean look, also loosened up. A white linen and silk dress billowed around Monika "Jac" Jagaciak, even the nipped-in waists flared at the hips. But the three stunners, which showed Narciso's experiment with volume at its best, were the last three finale gowns - one in black, one in white, one in "mercury" gray - knee-length in the front and parachute-like in the back as the model walked.

Also of note: pre-show, Anna Wintour was escorted backstage - not something that happens at every show; Narciso's close friends Ruben and Isabel Toledo sat front row, as did Tory Burch, whose show is tomorrow morning. Narciso has also just signed a deal with eBay to create a line - for Spring 2010 - with nothing over $350 (his runway designs are typically $1,800-plus), to be called "Narciso Rodriguez for eBay." A preview of his ideas for the line can be seen here.

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Seen Around Town: Fashion's Night Out

coutorture — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:28:16 PDT

Fashion's Night Out brought crowds of shoppers to all five boroughs in Manhattan last evening, as retailers opened doors late night and celebrated fall fashion with designer appearances, live musical performances, trunk shows, street parties, book signings and do-it-yourself sewing circles.

Our first stop was Barney's were we visited Isabel and Ruben Toledo (the former signing copies of her new book and the later illustrating shoppers on the inside cover), chatted with Alabama Chanin's Natalie Chanin as she watched over her 5th floor sewing circle, said hello to Behnaz Sarafpour (busy sketching her fall 2009 collection for a line of shoppers) and breezed by Rogan Gregory (hand-painting Loomstate tee shirts) and Organic's John Patrick (spreading the good word on sustainable wool farming) on the Co-Op floor.

Walking out of a packed Barney's and on to Madison Avenue proved to be even more interesting, as we spotted Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos riding bikes decorated especially for Fashion's Night Out (and stocked with cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beers) on their way to visit Vena Cava's Brooklyn block party and take a turn in the dunk tank.

Only two feet in front of Shipley and Halmos on the corner of 60th street we ran into Francisco Costa standing outside of his Calvin Klein store, signing tee shirts while Jamie Burke performed inside. All this before even heading downtown...

Also of note, Rachel Roy and Estelle celebrating the opening of the Rachel Rachel Roy pop-up shop in Soho; Opening Ceremony's trunk show where Voguette were seen scooping up Alexander Wang's fall collection by the armfuls; Rag and Bone's David Neville and Marcus Wainwright toasting friends with Guinness; and the mayhem that was caused by Victoria Beckham, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen all under the same roof at Bergdorf Goodman.

The rain sprits clearly bow to Anna Wintour as the weather held off until just before 11pm when most revelers stashed away their wallets and focused on the parties at hand. Judging by the number of people out on the streets and walking into the stores, Fashion's Night Out was a great success. The city that never sleeps has rarely looked more alive (or more beautiful).

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Fashion In 50 Seconds 06/25/09 Giles Deacon to Paris, Irony in Fashion, and More

coutorture — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:32:10 PDT

Hot on the heels of winning France's annual ANDAM Award, Giles Deacon will show his Spring collection at Paris Fashion Week.

The star of Yves Saint Laurent's video preceeding the house's spring 2010 men's show is none other than an 11-year old boy.

When fashion is inspired by old ladies - how old to too old for irony in fashion?

Fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo takes on the classics, view his stylized sketches inspired by Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights.

Twenty8Twelve's less famous designer sister, Savannah Miller, blogs for Vogue UK.

Ruben Toledo Takes On Illustrating the Classics

fashionologie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:40:41 PDT

>> Ruben Toledo lent his iconic illustrative abilities to the front flap of three Penguin Classics Deluxe Editions: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, for which he interpreted Elizabeth Bennet’s rejection of Mr. Darcy in black and white; Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter, for which he gave his take on Hester Prynne's fateful letter “A”; and Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, for which he draws Catherine Earnshaw wandering eerily on the Yorkshire moors. The series isn't officially available until August 25, but Amazon has them for pre-order at $11 apiece.

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fashionologie — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:02:28 PDT

>> FASH INSTITUTE —Nina Garcia's follow-up to her Little Black Book of Style comes out later this month — Aug. 26, to be exact. Her newest outing, The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own, is already available for pre-order, and is illustrated by Ruben Toledo, just like her first book. [Amazon.com]

Despite a Death in the Family, the CFDA Awards March On

fashionologie — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:05:38 PDT

>> While the "fashion Oscars" are a time for celebration, this year, many attendees had another recent event on their minds - the recently deceased Yves Saint Laurent. In tribute, Diane von Furstenberg wore vintage YSL, Naomi Campbell donned Fall 2008 Saint Laurent, and Ashley Olsen riffed on Le Smoking in her Calvin Klein suit.

As expected, models and designers turned out in droves - Erin Wasson, still in leg cast, was by Alexander Wang's side, and Francisco Costa celebrated his Womenswear win by hugging Eva Mendes tight.

For more of the comings and goings, be sure to check out the gallery below.
*images: source

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Michelle Obama Picks Isabel Toledo for Inauguration

fashionologie — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:45:43 PST

>> This morning, Isabel Toledo received an unexpected big boost in the national eye - Michelle Obama wore the yellow coat and matching dress Toledo specifically designed for her to the inauguration, paired with green Jimmy Choo Glacier pumps.

Toledo didn't know for sure that Obama would pick her designs - which thirteen people in her studio worked on over the Christmas holidays - until this morning, when she turned on the television. "We had no idea. We hoped she would wear something because she has bought Isabel's clothes before. We never know what's going to happen," her husband Ruben Toledo said. "It's just another shock, but a great shock."

The dress and coat are made of Swiss wool lace, backed with netting for warmth and lined in French silk. As for the choice of color? "I wanted to pick a very optimistic color, that had sunshine,” Isabel Toledo said. “I wanted her to feel charmed, and in that way would charm everybody."

While she's long been critically well-received, Toledo has long flown under the radar, particularly since she was pulled from her acclaimed run at Anne Klein two years ago. She said this morning that she didn't even have a PR person to help bring her designs to Mrs. Obama's attention, so perhaps this turn of events will provide the bump she needs.
*image: source

talk the talk

philleif — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 15:16:00 PST

>> If you're in New York for the night, fashion power couple Ruben and Isabel Toledo (illustrator and creative director of Anne Klein, respectively) are speaking tonight at Parsons about the future of risk-taking design. Could be interesting, and you never know who else you might see.

Parsons, The new School for Design, 560 Seventh Ave., Second Floor, 6 pm. Admission free.