LYRA MAG.

STORY TELLING CREATES A LABEL West 38th Street, Garment District 5:00PM Words, Images Judith Ecochard Leifsdottir (and its lovely Executive Design Director Johanna Uurasjarvi) once again globe trotted for its Spring 2010 collection. Bali, Japan and India fed into the creative thoughts of this stellar ensemble of feminine frocks and separates… presented in the company’s showroom that’s been transformed into far-flung vignettes. As the models strolled through the showroom, followed by camera snapping media types, we couldn’t help but be more than impressed how this label, owned by Anthropologie, has established such a distinct identity for itself in the over filled business of fashion. Several design elements- we know Leifdottir for…the incredible fabrics (and ethnic prints in a batik), hand details , and shapely silhouettes. We felt the collection this time, was notably less frilly ---with subtle flourishes. “There was more play with volume”, according to Sara Goodstein…from the form ...

NEW YORK CITY September 23rd, 2009 We love soccer (football to the rest of the planet)…and drool at the prospect of going to next summer’s World Cup match in South Africa. For the clueless, it’s kinda like watching a live, chess match on amphetamines…with a ball, players in snazzy uniforms without padding, a green field, lots of noise, and a clock counting UP. Traffic is tied up in NYC with that UN Conference…but better for us, was what went on at former President Clinton’s Global Initiative confab at the same time. BECAUSE- USA’s National Team Captain and one of the two main reasons to see the LA Galaxy play (David Beckham being the other one, duh) Landon Donovan ---joined by… World Cup vet former Premier Leaguer / Fulham - Brian McBride (with a cool bar named after him London too), and Jorge Campos , a Mexican team legend who has worn those fab colorful shirts… joined another team of sorts… the one with Visa -that developed and launched a new FIFA ™World Cup-themed video g...

EGYPTIAN INSPIRED “GRAPHIC LINES, LUSH TEXTURES and BOLD COLORS” FOR SPRING & SUMMER BACKSTAGE MODELS :)---- AND ON THE RUNWAY = MODELS :( Words, Images Judith Ecochard This was one of the most memorable shows during NY Fashion Week…and not only because the collection was a tight 24 looks. Alexa Adams and Flora Gills have evolved as designers while remaining true to their sophisticated DNA of woven knits (unique textiles to them)… this time, incredibly lightweight… … with fluttery feathers on hems and tops, and hand embroideries. An intricately woven graphic vest/top popped for us--- in black, white chalk, red and a French gray. Silhouettes were fitted and slim…the first look, a black/ “chalk” graphic play on a tuxedo with a multi color crop sweater--- set the tone. We also thought the imaginative draping of jackets and skirts was well done... Egyptian elements…the linear spaces and lines of hieroglyphics came through…though we were thinking a mash up of cubism and abstract expre...

THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF FASHION- “TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS” MADE IN AMERICA Spring/Summer 2010 COLLECTIONS FOR WAL MART AND EBAY STORE THE APPLE STORE, PRINCE STREET, SOHO, September 17th, 2009-Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week 11 AM Words, Images Judith Ecochard Designer/Entrepreneur Norma Kamali added another ‘genuis idea’ feather to her cap with her innovative runway show of clothing that’s available NOW- online at her branded e-Bay store , OMO Kamali… and her inexpensive active wear collection (everything under $35) for gargantuan Wal Mart… that regularly sells out. We hung out under scaffolding (it was cold and rainy) that shielded models struttin’ their stuff under an urban sidewalk aka catwalk. Minor miracle…the show started on time. PLUS: Smartly, the entire show flowed by fabric…adding up to a cohesive editorial outing. (Reminded us of that traffic stopping S/S 2010 fashion show of Esther Perbandt that we covered in Berlin) We saw terrific separates that are pure Kamali...