Fashion line for cancer survivors set to launch

Many thoughts flash through a woman's mind on the eve of a double mastectomy — most prominently fears about her mortality. But in the thicket of complicated emotions that crowded Laurel Kamen's brain as she sat in her Kalorama apartment contemplating her diagnosis of breast cancer, she also had to reckon with fretfulness about her future wardrobe.

A woman of accomplishment and intelligence, who is neither shallow nor narcissistic, Kamen had none of the tortured ambivalence about fashion and style that haunts so many women of her stature. Kamen, a Chicago native and a former executive at American Express who had spent a chunk of her formative years in New York, considered fashion an expression of confidence
A sample of the Alloro clothing line, created for women who have gone through breast-cancer surgery. The line will launch March 20 in Washington and April 17 in New York (Photo for Alloro by Elizabeth Lippman)
and control. Put simply, she liked looking good and she wanted to continue looking good after both of her breasts were removed and she adjusted to the contours of a torso not reconstructed with either silicone or saline.

In preparation for her surgery, Kamen had been prowling the Internet on a pre-shopping spree, searching for clothes that would flatter what would soon be her new shape but that would also be comfortable and practical enough to wear while she was recuperating. She didn't find any clothes that met her criteria — sophisticated, grown-up — and out of her frustration came a business plan. She decided to create a line of clothing for women who have had breast cancer. The collection would see them through their recuperation after a mastectomy. And it would flatter their post-operative figures — whether they chose reconstructive surgery, prosthetics or nothing.

Sadly, this is no small market. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women this year. But Kamen's research turned up few good, accessible fashion options for them — or her.

"I knew I'd look different. I knew I'd have a long recovery," says Kamen,
A sample of the Alloro clothing line, created for women who have gone through breast-cancer surgery. The line will launch March 20 in Washington and April 17 in New York. (Photo for Alloro by Elizabeth Lippman)
who is married to Washington Post writer Al Kamen. "There were fleeces and T-shirts and goopy-looking shirts. But I didn't want to leave the world of fashion."

Kamen's first call — filled with indignation and determination — was to Christine Irvin, who has been her friend for 30 years. Their meeting was a New York cliche. They bonded on the No. 1 subway train en route from Lower Manhattan to Penn Station and, ultimately, shared a summer house in the Hamptons. Irvin's phone rang around 5:30 in the evening as she was headed to the Museum of Modern Art.

"I have this great idea for a business," Kamen said.

"I'm in," Irvin said.

In hindsight, Irvin says with a laugh: "Am I really going to turn down my best
A sample of the Alloro clothing line, created for women who have gone through breast-cancer surgery. The line will launch March 20 in Washington and April 17 in New York. (Photo for Alloro by Elizabeth Lippman)
friend the night before she has a mastectomy? She could have been planning to start a car wash."

Approximately 15 months after Kamen's surgery — after many thousands of dollars invested, many cold calls in search of advice, many fit dilemmas solved — the Alloro fashion line will debut Wednesday on Capitol Hill. It will have a New York trunk show soon after. It's the product of three friends and their unlikely personalities: Kamen, a Washingtonian with a devotion to fashion; Irvin, a Wall Street fixer and organizer with a creative streak; and Roedean Landeaux, a New York designer without fealty to seasonal trends.

Alloro (Italian for laurel) is not stuffed with frocks in breast-cancer-awareness pink. But the privately funded company will give 25 percent of its sales to breast cancer research. The line is not matronly, but it doesn't fall prey to disposable fads. It is not medicinal, but it makes allowances for all of the ways in which modern science damages the body in its attempts to fix it.

"The pretty part was our first jumping-off point," says Landeaux, who is Kamen's cousin. "There are no hidden prosthetics things. It's fashion." Indeed, several of the pieces — an open-knit sweater and a pair of leopard-print trousers — are reminiscent of looks from Landeaux's signature collection, which she sells through her Greenwich Village boutique.

Silk charmeuse camisoles in shades of violet and sea foam, priced at $125, float away from the body on superfine straps. Necklines drape into a not-too-low-cut cowl that is engineered not to slip off the shoulders and reveal the close-set straps of a prosthetic bra. Blouses are stitched with curved seams so that a woman who did not opt for breast reconstruction can go without prosthetics and not feel that her silhouette is concave. And a $250 cherry-red bolero has small interior pockets to hold drainage paraphernalia during the early days of recovery.

Kamen came up with a list of 20 bullet points — post-surgical issues — that the collection would address, from a limited range of motion and prohibitions on carrying anything weighing more than 10 pounds to fingertips numbed by chemotherapy. So, for example, a mesh handbag weighs, as Landeaux says, less than a bottle of perfume, and a linen blouse employs black lacquered snaps instead of buttons.

"I think we've done some great things that address all the criteria for these women — physically and psychologically," Landeaux says.

When Kamen showed the collection to Neiman Marcus — more for feedback than to solicit sales, as the clothes are sold through trunk shows now — Martha Slagle, the general manager of the Mazza Gallerie store, was impressed enough to host a luncheon for Alloro's founders along with, as they say in the land of policy and wonkery, stakeholders.

"We're very conscious that a lot of our customers have gone through breast cancer," Slagle says. The luncheon celebrating Alloro "was to raise awareness that people out there are doing this."

"We see it as community service," Slagle says.

Everyone should be able to participate in the fashion circus — breast cancer survivors, too. "It's for them," Kamen says. "It's to make them feel a little joy."

Fashion Snobs Are Lining Up To Go To Foot Locker

Fashion-forward women are lining up at Foot Locker to buy this season's hottest footwear: sneakers.

Foot Locker's new status as a fashion go-to could have contributed to its 20 percent profit increase over the holiday season.

Top designers like Phoebe Philo and Isabel Marant helped spur the trend to more casual footwear, reports Hayley Phelan at Fashionista.

"Philo has been wearing athletic sneakers — New Balance 993s, Nike Air Max’s — at high-profile events and to take her bow at the end of Celine’s shows for a couple of years now," Phelan writes.
Philo was even photographed wearing Nike sneakers in Vogue.
There are a few reasons why sneakers are an appealing fashion trend for women, consultant Chris Black told Fashionista.

“The bright colors and crazy materials make [sneakers] fashion forward and comfort is something women rarely get with popular footwear,” Black said. “All of the cool styles are also very affordable so everyone can easily be part of the trend.”

Celebrities from Kristen Stewart to Beyonce have been snapped wearing the comfortable footwear at various events.

Foot Locker CEO Kenneth Hicks said in an earnings conference call last week that the brand was focused on offering the best products to its core customers.

This Spring, The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto Is What's in Fashion

From March 18-22, 2013, the eyes of the fashion world will be focused on the sparkling jewel of Ontario as Toronto celebrates World MasterCard Fashion Week Toronto 2013. As the official hotel of Fashion Week, The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto is pleased to offer exclusive events, specials, and savings for its guests.

Fashionistas from around the globe can stay in style with The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto's World MasterCard Fashion Week Experience. Created especially for Fashion Week, this exclusive hotel package includes accommodations in a luxurious Corner Suite overlooking the runway at David Pecaut Square, a one-of-a-kind VIP hair and makeup experience, tickets to two designer shows nightly, access to the Sponsor Lounge and the services of the Ritz-Carlton Club Level, all from just $925 CDN/night* through March 22, 2013.

After the show, guests are invited to see and be seen at the official World MasterCard Fashion Week Lounge at DEQ, conveniently located at The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto. There, hotel guests can relax fireside with a fashion-inspired cocktail like the Tanqueray-based Fashionista or the strawberry-infused Prêt-à-Porter. They can also refuel with a selection of the city's most stylish snacks or let loose and dance the night away with DEQ's in-house DJ until 1AM.

If the excitement of Fashion Week becomes too much to handle, guests are also invited to wind down and relax with the designer treatment at Spa MyBlend by Clarins at The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto. This first-class, 23,000 square-foot spa includes exclusive, fashion-forward experiences like the Runway Recharger package, Jet Lag Reviver and the Paparazzi Polish.

It promises to be an unforgettable week of fashion and fun. Guests are invited to book the exclusive World

Ideal for business or leisure stays, this luxury Toronto hotel's premium downtown location puts it just steps away from world-class theatre experiences, iconic landmarks like the CN Tower and the Hockey Hall of Fame, cultural attractions such as the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum, and specialty events including Fashion Week.

* Rate is per room/per night, based on double occupancy, exclusive of taxes, gratuities, fees and other charges; does not apply to groups; cannot be combined with any other offer and is not applicable for Rewards redemption. Advanced reservations are required. Hotel suite upgrade available for an additional cost. Offer is subject to availability. No credit back if inclusions are unused.

Fashion Crowd Gathers at Modern Hotel in London for Newlife Charity Event

Raising an amazing £12,000 for charity in just two and a half hours, fashion guests of an Oxford Street hotel in London were wowed with elegant surroundings while enjoying an evening of fun and frivolity to benefit Newlife Charity.

Opening its remarkable event venues and The Luggage Room bar to 550 guests on Dec. 10, 2012 for a night of cocktails, fashion and retail therapy, the London Marriott Grosvenor Square was the site of the event which showcased a small selection of clothing later sold to benefit the charity founded to support the needs of disabled children.

As guests arrived they were transported back to a bygone era of glamour, elegance and sophistication in one of the London's hottest new cocktail bars, The Luggage Room, where they were greeted by Bar Manager Abdulai Kpekawa. Once through The Luggage Room, guests were welcomed into the Westminster Ballroom and treated to a selection of festive canapés and the hospitality of Executive Head Chef Jamie Welch and his team of culinary professionals.

Thirteen of the London Mayfair hotel's Grosvenor Square associates volunteered to grace the catwalk for the 7 p.m. fashion show and with credit to Helen Boyle, fashion editor of Hello Magazine, they all looked amazing as they strutted across the runway donning great poses and the stylish fashions.

"The spirit of everyone involved was just truly superb as it is a big deal putting on such a big show for such a big audience," noted Boyle.

Once the show was over, charity guests inside this distinctive hotel near Hyde Park were enthusiastic of the opportunity to purchase high street designer clothes and accessories at a fraction of the retail price.
"Partnerships like this one with the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square enable Newlife to do so much more to support families," said Newlife CEO Sheila Brown, OBE. "Because of our unique trading operation we guarantee that every penny donated to us is used to directly help children, nothing is taken out for administration."

Crocs Enters Second Year of Fashion-Forward Blogger Program

Crocs, Inc. (CROX) today announced the second year of the brand’s style blogger program, which highlights on-trend, yet comfortable, Crocs™ footwear throughout the year. Five well-respected style and fashion bloggers are taking part in the 2013 CrocStyle Insider program to help preview and showcase new Crocs styles.
Each CrocStyle Insider helps share new, fashionable Crocs products with today’s savvy shoppers looking for online style inspiration through monthly reviews on their blogs. They also host interactive online events and style parties throughout the year to further connect with their readers. The following five women have been named 2013 CrocStyle Insiders:

Pauline Karwowski is the author behind Classy Chaos, a blog that chronicles her everyday life with three children in Chicago. She started blogging six years ago and since then has built a national audience that follows her throughout her international travels, daily chaos of raising three kids, budget fashion tips for moms, cooking with children and about ordinary things that make life extraordinary. When not blogging, Pauline is a buyer for a Chicago-based retail business that allows her creative side to soar - literally. From India to Poland she travels the globe in search of the next fashion must-have. When at home, she tries to juggle the chaos while maintaining her trademark “classy” look.

Audrey McClelland, author of Mom Fashion Report , left the fashion world of Donna Karan International to raise her brood of four boys under the age of eight in her home state of Rhode Island. She’s learned that you can take the girl out of the Fashion District, but you can’t take the Fashion District out of the girl. Audrey brings her fashion expertise to Mom Fashion Report, her style and fashion blog within the Mom Generations network. Audrey also brings her mom fashion expertise to BabyCenter.com as a beauty and style writer, SheKnows.com as the MommyStyle contributor and was invited as the Mom Fashion Voice at the People's Choice Awards with Tim Gunn and Gretta Monahan. Audrey also shares her advice on CBS' "The Rhode Show". In addition, Audrey co-founded Getting Gorgeous Events, which connects brands with bloggers through a series of pampering activities.

Jenn Rager started her blog The Stylish Housewife after deciding to quit her job in the financial services industry to become a stay at home mom. Her personal style & beauty blog aims to motivate and inspire other moms to make the most of what their closet has to offer and stay stylish on a budget. Jenn has been featured in Lucky Magazine and is a member of the Lucky Style Collective. Her "blogger style" was also recently featured in an email campaign for Ann Taylor.

Maegan Tintari of …Love Maegan, a Los Angeles style blogger who recently bought a house with her husband and moved up to the snowy mountains of Lake Arrowhead, writes daily sharing her personal style secrets, DIYs and hair tutorials, home decor and fashion tips, as well as a look into her personal life with her husband and two adorable dogs. Maegan is currently a style editor with BlogHer and soon to be a published author.

Lilliana Vazquez is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Cheap Chica’s Guide to Style, an online fashion resource that is a go-to destination for fashionistas on a budget. The site was founded in 2007 and now reaches a national audience of more than 250,000 women each month. It is considered the authority on “looking chic for cheap.” Known for her ability to provide informative, accessible and relatable fashion commentary, Lilliana Vazquez is a style expert with more than 500 appearances on NBC, CBS, ABC, TLC, Bravo and The Style Network. Vazquez is regularly seen on The Today Show, the Emmy nominated Rachael Ray Show and The Steve Harvey Show where she shares her frugally fashionable point of view with audiences nationally. She is currently a Style Correspondent and a Host for New York LIVE on NBC New York, where she covers everything from food to fashion to interior design. This spring, Vazquez will be starring in a new lifestyle makeover show on MTV and her first book, The CheapChica’s Guide to Style: Secrets to Shopping Cheap, Looking Chic, will be released on October 1st through Gotham Books, a division of Penguin.

“This team of bloggers represents what style means to us at Crocs, which is simply looking great, being comfortable and keeping up with trends on a budget,” said Katy Lachky, VP of Global Communications at Crocs. “With more than 300 different Crocs styles available today, we are looking forward to working with this diverse group of style experts to continue to raise awareness of some of our more fashion-forward products and how they can easily be incorporated into any wardrobe.”

To keep up with the CrocStyle Insiders and check out their insights and personal styles featuring the newest Crocs™ shoes, readers can find the latest on www.facebook.com/crocs or by following the CrocStyle Insiders on their personal blogs.

Saint Laurent's Hedi Slimane - The Fashion World's Latest Bad Boy

During Paris’s fashion collections, Saint Laurent’s Hedi Slimane hit a bull’s eye for causing conflict, shock and being the most talked about designer of the season. True, apart from the International Herald Tribune’s critic Suzy Menkes who hailed and appreciated his vision, Slimane was mostly reviled and criticized for a fall winter collection which he described as being influenced by “Californian Grunge.” To be frank, it’s grunge on an international level – widely apparent in places like Notting Hill, the Bastille and the West Village – and consists of baby dolls, floral dresses, schoolgirl slips teamed with plaid shirts, sloppy cardigans, fishnets and biker boots.

Whatever the insults – certain popular bloggers went into overdrive.com – Slimane succeeded in grabbing major media attention with his second collection. His controversial clothes led to a fair amount of headshaking disbelief from Front Row powers but better that than being politely dismissed. The question remains whether Slimane – a master maniuplator who forged his reputation at Dior Homme – was purposely pulling imaginary pigtails, sticking his tongue out or even going further with the ‘V’ sign. Slimfast – Slimane’s nickname due to his prior obsession with skinny male models  – enjoys playing the perverse card. Nevertheless, his actions are backed up a serious game plan. As demonstrated by dropping the ‘Yves’ from the brand’s name and getting rid of the iconic ‘YSL’ typeface, Slimane wants to rejuvenate the revered French fashion house. And this upsets many. The late Saint Laurent – a rare fashion genius – still touches an emotional chord and makes people nostalgic for a bygone elegant era. Such folk suffer serious fashion amnesia, forgetting that from 1987, Saint Laurent’s ready-to-wear shows were stilted affairs and D.O.A. in comparison to what Karl Lagerfeld was achieving over at Chanel. Instead, they recall how Saint Laurent was the master of color and cut, the creator of Le Smoking and other steeped-in-chic pieces. All admirable and good but the fashion milieu has changed – mindless sensuality and youth rule, the term ‘chic’ could be construed as sexless  - and Slimane has tapped into the mood.

Saint Laurent's Fall Winter 2013 collection designed by Hedi Slimane

Saint Laurent's Fall Winter 2013 show designed by Hedi Slimane

His first Saint Laurent collection which was a tribute to the stylist Rachel Zoe and Californian Boho Chic – think long romantic dresses, caftans and large floppy hats – flew off the shelves in a Shanghai second. As for his recent collection attended by filmstar Kirsten Dunst and her boyfriend Garrett Hedlund; Emmanuelle Seigner, Polanski’s actress wife and Jamie Hince from The Kills, it has a crafty amount of YSL basics such as tux jackets, tailored coats and the ‘Chubby’ – the fox fur coat of the 1970s. In fact,  it’s hard not to agree with Tim Blanks, Style.com’s esteemed critic that the clothes will “send orgasmic tremors” in Tokyo’s Shibuya 109, New York’s Trash and Vaudeville and other “wonderful retro romps.”

Celebs Wear Black and White in Paris and London

Paris Fashion Week officially winds down this week, and we've admired both the breathtaking runway looks and the spectacular celebrity style statements seen on the front-row attendees.

Plenty of our favorite stars packed their bags and traveled overseas to both London and Paris to support their favorite designers and turn some heads along the way.

One glance at the fashion week wardrobes from these lovely leading ladies and we couldn't but notice that there was a strong recurring theme: black and white.

Trend alert: bold black and white
In the City of Light, we spotted Marion Cotillard at Dior, Nicole Richie at the Stella McCartney show and Jessica Chastain at Chanel all wearing the classic combination in a variety of ways.

Cotillard looked ladylike in a head-to-toe Dior ensemble, while Richie rocked a bold monochrome swingy dress with a distinctly edgier vibe.

Chastain exuded classic elegance in a creamy blouse tucked into a satin pencil skirt, and Olivia Palermo was cool and crisp in Tibi's drop-waist checker dress paired with Brian Atwood boots at Antonio Berardi's show in London.

Other celebs in the eye-catching trend include Ashley Olsen at the H&M runway show in Paris, Jessica Alba in a tuxedo-inspired suit at Stella McCartney and Kirsten Dunst at the Saint Laurent show.

The adorable fashion darlings all opted for sleek separates that proved to be timeless, chic and perfectly polished from day to night.

And while we love vibrant colors and bold patterns for spring, it seemed like black and white was the way to go to pay homage to fashion collections previewing fall.

One thing's for sure, each celeb looked simply stunning and flaunted her unique sense of style.

Fashion Outlets of Chicago Announces Retail Lineup

Premier U.S. outlet developer and manager AWE Talisman and Macerich, one of the nation's leading regional mall owners, operators and developers, today named the full slate of anchors and the list of specialty stores coming to Fashion Outlets of Chicago.  The new property is set to open just outside of Chicago – minutes away from O'Hare International Airport - in Rosemont, Ill., on August 1, 2013.

Anchors opening at the two-level, 530,000 square-foot outlet mall include Bloomingdale's The Outlet Store, Last Call by Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th and Forever 21.

Fashion Outlets of Chicago marks the first fully enclosed, multi-level property with this level of amenities in the Chicago area in more than two decades.

"We don't believe there is another shopping environment that reaches this caliber of global brands with this level of customer care and market access," said AWE Talisman Chairman Arthur Weiner.  "Beyond the robust slate of retail and dining attractions, Fashion Outlets of Chicago also will offer an exciting set of customer amenities and social experiences, including a world-class art installation."

Fashion Outlets of Chicago is the latest development in an increasingly rich Rosemont area, which has seen a number of new restaurants and entertainment venues open in recent years. It is located on Fashion Outlets Way off of Balmoral Road in Rosemont and off of I-294 at the intersections of I-190 and I-90. Dining is another focus of the new property: Fashion Outlets of Chicago will offer two fine dining restaurants, Prasino and Villagio, in addition to a first-level food court and variety of other quick-service options.

"Fashion Outlets of Chicago marks our commitment to the changing face of outlet retail in America," said Art Coppola, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Macerich. "Today's announcement of the outstanding tenant mix and opening date for Fashion Outlets of Chicago is a significant milestone for our company, demonstrating Macerich's ongoing commitment to the market, as well as to our outlet strategy."

Fashion Outlets of Chicago will provide a variety of convenient amenities designed to appeal to the thousands of travelers passing through nearby O'Hare International Airport every day of the year. These include regular shuttles to and from the airport's terminals, as well as downtown hotels from our transportation partner Go Airport Express. Additionally, Fashion Outlets of Chicago is partnering with TSA-certified BAGS Inc. to operate a special concierge service that allows travelers to print boarding passes and check shopping bags and luggage directly to their flights.

Paris Fashion Week fall 2013: Sacai review

If you haven’t heard of the Japanese women’s brand Sacai, you should check it out (stores in the L.A. area include Barneys New York, H. Lorenzo and Noodle Stories). Since 1999, designer Chitose Abe has been building her business on the idea of hybrid pieces spliced and diced with feminine details — cardigans with a gentle waterfall of silk pleats in the back, for example, or utility jackets with soft bustles.

2013 Fashion Week coverage

She showed her fall 2013 collection on the runway during Paris Fashion Week.  And thankfully, there were no smoke machines or live bands to distract from the issue at hand, just a paneled mirror backdrop to better see the clothing and details from every angle.

The look:  Hybrid fashion with an emphasis on fusing feminine shapes with menswear-inspired tailoring and fabrications such as wool  checks and outdoorsy quilted nylon. A cape-back trench coat dress with a velvet front. Mixed plaid and silk pleated skirt. Nordic-style Fair Isle sweater-coats decorated with feathers. Ochre-colored lace biker jacket with green windowpane check peplum. A fur, nylon and windowpane-check bomber jacket worn over skinny pants with nylon inserts. Quilted nylon spats worn over boots.  

The verdict: Immensely creative and wearable takes on the masculine-feminine trend, and some truly novel outerwear.

Hokonui Fashion Design Awards celebrate 25 years

The Hokonui Fashion Design Awards is this year celebrating 25 years at the forefront of New Zealand fashion, as it opens for entries once again.
Creative amateur designers of all ages are now invited to enter New Zealand’s most iconic fashion design awards competition.

Based in the South Island town of Gore, and one of the major events on New Zealand’s fashion calendar, the awards offer emerging designers the chance to showcase their work in front of a panel of industry and guest judges.

Executive Producer Heather Paterson is excited about the significance of this year’s event and is particularly thrilled to introduce a new category and sponsor.

"The Hokonui Fashion Design Awards show has been running since 1988 and is the longest running fashion event in New Zealand for emerging designers," she said.
"Over the years, we have seen the most incredible creations coming down the catwalk, hosted top fashion experts and awarded some fantastic prizes to deserving talent. This year will continue in that tradition with, as always, a few new developments.

"We’ve also had excellent sponsors and this year we are very delighted to welcome new sponsor Mediaworks that will bring with them a number of innovative promotional ideas for the 2013 Awards."

Mrs Paterson said that to commemorate the 25-year achievement the show was introducing a new ‘Silver’ category.

"The theme for this is ‘anything goes’, giving entrants in the open section ‘carte blanche’ to be as creative as they like," she said.

This year, key members of the organisation team along with Wade Paterson will take a more active role in producing the awards as Mrs Paterson takes a back seat to receive on-going treatment for a serious illness.

"Heather is still on deck but in the background putting her passion into the event," said Mr Paterson.

"In the meantime, we’re looking forward to receiving the first entries as the 2013 show starts to take shape."

The 2013 Hokonui Fashion Design Awards will be showcased at the Town and Country Stadium in Gore on July 26 and 27. Entries close on May 31.