Agave Denim Moves to Washington State

Northwest-based premium denim manufacturer, Agave (who recently relocated their entire operation to Washington state) opened it’s first and only retail outlet store last Saturday June 27th in Ridgefield, Washington (14 miles north of Portland).

As part of the launch, Agave opened up its entire Agave Design Studio and warehouse giving the public unprecedented access to its creative and funky design space and a unique insider’s perspective on how its products are created. The event also played host to a denim exchange. For every person that brought in a pair of clean used jeans for donation to local and regional homeless shelters received an extra 10% discount on merchandise from the outlet store.


Agave has built a strong following since its inception in 2002 with both retailers and customers alike. Celebrity followers of Agave denim include Will Smith, Mark Wahlberg, Katherine Heigl, Zooey Deschanel and Katherine McPhee. Agave is now sold in more than 600 denim and specialty boutiques. You can find Agave in Seattle at Nordstrom, Butch Blum, Mario’s, and Horseshoe boutique in Ballard.



What: Agave Outlet Store

Where: 6210 South 11th Street, Ridgefield, WA 98642

More info: Click here.

Merchandising my Shoes

I spent my morning organizing and re-merchandising my collection of shoes, handbags and jewelry. It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it. 

Nordstrom Bellevue Square and El Gaucho Celebrate PACE

Last night Nordstrom Bellevue Square and El Gaucho honored Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE) directors, donors, business partners and community leaders with an evening devoted to food, fashion and the arts. Guests enjoyed a gourmet, three-course dinner courtesy of El Gaucho in Bellevue, while viewing a Fall 2009 Armani Collezioni of fashion for men and women provided by Nordstrom. The evening concluded with a special performance by pianist Jacqueline Schmidt from Juilliard.

Key items from the Armani Collezioni included pleated trousers, a houndstooth jersey blazer with matching slim fit skirt, a charcoal colored wool ruffle-front jacket, a black stretch tie jacket and a black/grey herringbone textured jacket.

Come see the Fall 2009 Armani Collezioni at the Bellevue Square Nordstrom.  You will love the classic details and styling updates.  

About PACE
With a 2,000-seat concert hall and a 250-seat cabaret, Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE) will bring renowned musicians, dancers, actors, and entertainers to Puget Sound audiences. Its mission is to enrich cultural life with a wide diversity of live entertainment, arts, and education. PACE will stimulate the arts region-wide, attract new audiences, heighten arts awareness and education, provide a performance home for select area arts organizations, and serve as a cultural center for the Eastside. PACE will be located in downtown Bellevue on the corner of NE 10th Street and 106th Avenue NE. The Campaign For PACE has raised nearly $32 million to date and is scheduled to open in 2012.

Photos Courtesy of Team Photogenic. 

Rollasole Plans to Make U.S. Debut

If you've ever felt the pain of a long night wearing sky-high heels you can appreciate 27-year old Matt Horan's brilliant entrepreneurial idea of selling foldable shoes in vending machines outside nightclubs in the UK. According to BBC News, he came up with the Rollasoles idea after being inspired by a stiletto-loving girlfriend who constantly complained about her feet every time they went out. His solution was to create an comfortable shoe that was affordable (about $8 USD) and chic.  Even celebrity blogger Perez Hilton likes them! Rollasole currently has it's sights set on making a U.S. debut in New York, L.A. and Las Vegas. I can't wait!

Rollasoles come in 3 fashionable colors including black, gold and silver.  Each pair also comes with a bag to hold your high heels in when you switch over to your Rollasoles!

For the latest updates, follow Rollasole on Twitter by clicking here!

H&M + Jimmy Choo

On Wednesday, Women’s Wear Daily reported that a one-off collection by Jimmy Choo will go on sale at selected H&M stores in November. In recent years H&M has done designer collaborations with several big name designers including Stella McCartney and Karl Lagerfeld. The H&M/Jimmy Choo collection for men and women will launch in 200 H&M stores worldwide on November 14th and feature shoes, handbags and a capsule eveningwear collection. H&M currently expects to launch around 12 shoe models for women, some of which will be available in two different colors, and four models for men. Prices for most shoes will be priced between $55 and $138. 

Jimmy Choo’s Chief Executive Joshua Schulman said the H&M collection is meant to be “a fun, accessible flash for a moment in time,” and it shouldn’t be viewed as a diffusion line for the brand, whose signature shoes are made in Italy and sold in its own boutiques and select specialty stores. “We know there is a different customer who dreams of wearing Jimmy Choo and this is a fantastic opportunity for her to enter our brand for a limited time only,” he said.

Mark your calendars now because I guarantee these shoes will sell out in a matter of minutes at every location that gets them. No word yet on whether or not the Seattle H&M stores will be one of the locations that carries the limited edition Jimmy Choo shoes and accessories.

Photo By Magnus Magnusson

Fashion Kills Hunger Runway Review

If you didn’t make it out to The Chapel last night for the 1st Annual Fashion Kills Hunger Runway show, you missed out! Angela Kantanto, owner of the Industry, alongside other young entrepreneurs, designers and boutique owners welcomed a packed house in an effort to fuse together fashion and philanthropy to benefit Northwest Harvest.

The runway show featured TCM Models in fashions from Horseshoe in Ballard, Lizzie Parker (who recently opened an Eco-Atelier & boutique in Issaquah), Original Penguin and The Industry. The runway show started almost 30 minutes “fashionably” late, but guests in attendance agreed it was worth the wait. The Horseshoe set featured a hot pink jumpsuit, a black and white gingham plaid dress with a black satin ribbon, and a jersey knit convertible dress which could be worn “20 different ways” as called out by boutique owner Jill Andersen as the dress went down the runway. Lizzie Parker’s set included teal ruched leggings made of organic bamboo and lycra, a hand-dyed orange and white maxi dress and a green long-sleeve mini dress. Original Penguin started their set with a classic white polo featuring a navy blue pop color chest pocket paired with some plaid yarn-dye shorts. For women, Original Penguin showed a cotton khaki dress with a belted waist and front button detail, tuxedo style tank tops and a longer length cable knit cardigan. The Industry boutique closed the show with an array of menswear looks including a long sleeve woven shirt paired with a skinny tie and a great pair of jeans, a blue and white argyle sweater, a heather gray cardigan, a leather M65 jacket and lots of denim.

Guests were asked to wear black to the event as a sign of their commitment to killing hunger in Seattle. Needless to say there was an overflow of little black dresses and sky-high heels at The Chapel last night. Guests sipped champagne and snacked on mini cupcakes from Wink.

The event also included a silent auction which helped to raise funds for Northwest Harvest’s 300 food banks and meal programs in the Seattle-area. Auction items included autographed baseballs by Ken Griffey Jr. and Ichiro Suzuki, Gift Certificates to Pyramid Brewery, an organic and bamboo dress by Lizzie Parker and several jewelry items.

Overall, the event was a major success! The models looked amazing, the runway sets were fashionably edited and the crowd was enthusiastic about helping to raise money for a great cause. Links to event pictures will be posted shortly.

Luxury Shopping Center Opens in Bellevue Sept. 12th

Bellevue’s new luxury shopping center called The Shops at The Bravern is set to open on September 12th. (Coincidentally the day before my birthday. I’m sure it was planned that way of course). The new shopping center brings the first Pacific Northwest Neiman Marcus store along side Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Jimmy Choo, Tory Burch, Salvatore Ferragamo, Brooks Brothers Country Club and DNA 2050 have signed leases for The Shops according to Women’s Wear Daily.

The shopping center décor will be inspired by European Villages and sources confirm that the 300,000 square foot space will also house offices, condominiums and retail space. Additional luxury retailers include a series of restaurants, a David Barton gym and a Red Door spa.

Shopping Destination: Portland

Traveling to exotic shopping locations can be fun, but why scour the globe when you have fabulous shopping in your own backyard? Portland, Oregon has a city full of independent boutiques and fabulous designers, so here’s my play-by-play on where to shop,what to snack on and where to stay while you’re there! 

Shop

When it comes to shopping in Portland you have to plan at least one day to shop on the NW 23rd Ave. strip. Imagine if Queen Anne Ave. extended for a few more blocks and was lined with a ton of apparel, accessory and footwear boutiques. That's exactly the vibe you get when shopping on 23rd, the shops are unique and the people are super friendly!

EXIT- This is always our first stop on NW 23rd Ave. when we shop in Portland, mostly because it’s on the end of the strip but don’t let that downplay this awesome little store that carries everything you need for snowboarding and skateboarding. I love the Insight swimwear, RVCA boardshorts and my fiancée liked the Red Vans high tops. Click here for more info.
BLAKE- If you need a great pair of jeans in Portland, you have to stop by Blake. They carry brands like Joes, Sugar Cane, Hudson, Paige and G Star for both men and women. Check them out on line by clicking here.
GALORE DEPARTMENT STORE- Although not really a department store, Galore does have a multitude of brands and styles merchandised by concept so technically you could shop by “department” if you wanted to. They carry stylish dresses, skirts, blouses and a ton of accessories that make the perfect addition to any wardrobe. Galore is located at 823 NW 23rd Ave. (503) 279-8946.

SLOAN- I have never been in a store this fabulous that carries so many adorable dresses! Sloan carries everything from Kensie Girl and BCBG to BB Dakota. It’s quite an eclectic mix. If you're looking for a dress for a summer night or a special occasion you have to stop by and check it out! Click here for more info.
BROOKLYN INDUSTRIES- Portland isn’t exactly around the corner from Brooklyn but that didn’t stop Brooklyn Industries from opening their first West Coast location there. Brooklyn Industries is an artist-owned and operated clothing company that strives to collaborate with the community and has the constant desire to create. Click here for more info.

BLUSH BEAUTY BAR- I fell in love with this little beauty bar on NW 23rd Avenue the first time I set foot in the store years ago. Owner Deborah Haynes worked for MAC Cosmetics for 14 years before opening up her own shop. “My goal was to fill the void for girls who wanted to buy beauty products but didn’t want the typical beauty counter experience,” says Deborah. Blush Beauty Bar provides a fun atmosphere mixed with quality products from brands like Nars, Lorac, Sidlab, Bare Minerals, Stila and more! When I was in their shop last weekend I picked up a Nars Multiple Stick, A Stila Eyeshadow and the Crave Portland book! For more on Blush Beauty Bar, click here.

Snack
ZUPANS- If you get hungry while shopping on 23rd stroll over to Zupans. This amazing grocery store is a blend of Metropolitan Market fused with Whole Foods. It has an amazing bakery that serves petit fours, yummy macaroons and adorable sugar cookies plus the wine selection is amazing! We tried the Polka Dot Riesling which is imported from Germany and it was delicious!

MASU- A trip to Portland would be incomplete without a visit to Masu, the best sushi restaurant in the city! The atmosphere reminds me of a swanky New York loft, the drinks are stiff and the sushi is fresh, it’s the perfect combination. My favorite roll on the menu is the Lotus roll which has tuna, crab and avocado. Pair that with the Ume Blossom cocktail and you’ll be in heaven! If you go on a Friday or Saturday night, be sure to make reservations because this place is so good it fills up quickly! For more info click here.

DOUG FIR- After a long weekend of shopping in Portland there’s nothing better than a Bloody Mary and a nice brunch at Doug Fir. Located in the lower Burnside neighborhood, Doug Fir has retro 1950’s décor mixed with original log cabin woodwork, these two elements set the perfect backdrop for seriously delish food like the Satyricon Scramble that’s made with three eggs, baby spinach, tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta cheese. For a hearty meal try the Logger breakfast which comes with two eggs, rosemary potatoes (which are to die for!), and your choice of bacon, pork, veggie sausage, chicken fried steak or pancakes. Doug Fir is located at 830 E. Burnside in Portland. For more info click here.

Stay
Hands down, the best place to stay while you visit Portland is Hotel Monaco! The accommodations are exquisite and the location is central to all the Downtown shops! Hotel Monaco has a complimentary happy hour featuring beer, wine and cocktails everyday in the lobby from 5-6pm and when we were in town they also had live music by musicians from Rio de Janeiro. Hotel Monaco was also recently awarded the Green Seal for meeting Environmental Standards. My favorite part about staying at Hotel Monaco is that it’s pet-friendly which means that when my fiancée finally gives in and buys me a French bulldog puppy, I can bring him along too! If you already have a pet, visit the hotel website for a great map of pet-friendly places in Portland and if you are pet-free, Hotel Monaco will bring you a complimentary gold fish to keep with you during your stay.

Carri Vacik Adds new Jewels to the Collection!

There are many things I cannot live without and jewelry is definitely one of them….which is probably why I get along so well with London-based designer Carri Vacik, who creates beautifully ornate pieces for her namesake collection of jewels. 

Just in time for the summer season Carri added the Ishafan Cocktail ring (below) which features 18K yellow gold, amazonite and iolite. This ring could add charm to a beautiful summer cocktail dress or bring dark denim to life!

I also love this Ishtar cocktail ring (below) that features 18K yellow gold and moonstone. It’s absolutely enchanting and perfect for high tea or a romantic night out.

Check out the rest of Carri’s collection by clicking here. You will love what you see!

Sassy Fit Summer Hikes and Celebrity Boot Camps

It’s not too late to get in shape for summer! Sassy Fit personal trainer and boot camp instructor, Amanda Whitworth, will be leading four Sunday hikes this summer. Cost: $30 per person per hike or $100 for all four hikes (includes guided hike, snacks and refreshments). Email kelly@getsassyfit.com to sign-up!
Summer Hike Dates:
Sunday, June 28 - Tiger Mountain
Sunday, July 12 - Rattlesnake Ridge
Sunday, July 26 - Mt. Si
Sunday, August 2nd- Cougar Mountain

No time for a hike? Try the Summer Celebrity Boot camps by Sassy Fit which are perfect for getting your legs, arms, and abs in shape (men are welcome too!). Choose 2, 4, or 6 workouts per week over the course of each camp at times that suit your schedule. Each class includes 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength training and no equipment is required. Space is limited to 12 individuals per class and Sassy Fit has 4 locations to suit your needs including Discovery Park, Madison park, Gas Works Park and Downtown Bellevue Park. The next boot camp starts on June 22nd and runs through July 24th. For more info check out www.getsassyfit.com

Party with Parasols at the Clise Mansion

Next Thursday June 11th join Half Past Lavish Events in the beautiful gardens of Clise Mansion at Marymoor Park for a Parasol Party! Guests will get to sip delicious cocktails, shop with friends from vendors including LUSH Bath & Body, Party Girl Aprons, Sandy Martino Jewelry, Deco Modiste, Scentsy Candles and Marmalade Originals. Julep Nail Parlor will be on hand doing mini-manicures while Bellevue Massage offers up free tension relieving massages! The finale of the evening will be a Bella Umbrella fashion show. Event proceeds benefit the American Heart Association. Sponsors of the Parasol Party include Seattle Picks, Bella Umbrella, DRY Soda, Wink Cupcakes, Amore Chocolates, Bellevue Massage, The Bathery, and Brick House Photography.

Date: Thursday June 11th

Time: 7pm-9pm

Venue: Clise Mansion, Marymoor Park, Remond

Tickets: Click here.

The Shape of Things

Join Seattle Central Community College on June 16th as they unveil the portfolios of 22 new apparel design graduates and present “The Shape of Things”. 9am-6pm at SCCC 1701 Broadway Room BE 1110. For more information call (206) 903-3223.