Stacia on SNOB Style.tv

Check out my interview on snobstyle.tv, my new favorite go-to site for fashion. I'm a big fan of Erika Stanley's brilliant web site which covers all things fashion with regular episodes on your favorite designers and boutiques giving an insider's look into the real world of fashion. The site also pinpoints the latest trends and SNOBsessions. And the best part of the site in my opinion are the clever SNOB Stylish Quotes of the Day from fashion icons - "I've always thought the T-Shirt was like the Alpha and Omega of the fashion alphabet"--Giorgio Armani or "I like my money right where I can see it--hanging in my closet."--SJP as Carrie Bradshaw. For the One-On-One with moi, go to www.snobstyle.tv.

Style Returning to the White House

Finally, after decades of poor style in the White House, the Obamas have come to the rescue. Not only is there excitement for a new President, but I'm so psyched we're getting one with actual style. And it's not just the elegant Michelle Obama, who I'm also happy has some fashion sense. But the big guy himself, Barack, has some serious style too. I love this picture above of him at Occidental College with his funky Aloha shirt and fro. You can just hear the Bob Marley music in the background. Love it! I'm sure most of the time, the poor guy will have to wear his boring suit and be all business when we see him on TV, but you can just tell this guy's got a lot more style than your average Republican or Democrat. Not since JFK has the White House seen two style icons move in. And I'm not talking about the decadent Reagan era either with all those Dynasty dresses worn by Nancy. Thankfully, both Michelle and Barack have a more down-to-earth fashion style that us real people can relate to. J.Crew anyone? Next on my to-do list, send Michelle one of my Pucci space-dyed beach tunics for her next vacation on Oahu. I can totally see her wearing it with some J.Crew white skinny jeans and some Tori Burch thongs.

Stacia for Bono

What a treat to see my favorite rocker perform at the One inaugural event in front of the Lincoln Memorial yesterday. No, I wasn't actually there, but watching it on HBO was just fine with me. Bono, who is clearly on the top of my "list", exudes cool and is a pioneer in rocker fashion in my book. Even back in his hay day at Red Rock's sporting his motorcycle boots and bi-level hairdo, he was ahead of his time. And yesterday, wearing his military-style trench, rose-colored sunglasses, and black n' white scarf he looked as cool as ever. The whole time I'm watching him, I'm thinking...Bono needs my Stacia bamboo scarf! The unisex black and white space-dyed scarf would be perfect wrapped around Bono's neck. Since he's into saving the world with his Red collection for Gap, he'd appreciate the sustainable quality of the bamboo too. So, I'm on it. I'm going to track him down (or at least his stylist) and send one of these puppies his way in the hopes he'll wear it in concert or at least it'll keep in snug in the blustering Irish weather - xoxo, Stacia.

Design Inspiration - The T-shirt Dress

My children have always been a source of inspiration, but yesterday at sunset on the Santa Monica beach, my daughter truly enlightened me on the power of the T-shirt Dress. For the last couple seasons, this trend was heavy on the runways, thanks to Phillip Lim's white knotted t-shirt dress in '07, and it's a trend that is still hovering into Spring '09. After my daughter got drenched by a rogue wave at the beach, she demurely pranced around the wet sand in her daddy's ringer shirt and looked oh so chic I must say. I was dying to belt that t-shirt on her with a wide leather belt and ruche the front a bit. With the slightly off the shoulder, wide neckline, this slouchy t-shirt was the perfect proportion for a casual dress for moi! This could actually be a pretty easy look to duplicate for a grown up fashionista, by simply buying a men's XL tee and belting it to perfection for just the right slouch. Wear it over tights now with short booties (yes, you'll reek of the 80's, but as long as you're not sporting a geometric print on your tee and neon tights you should be okay) and later bare leg with flats into Spring. I'm anxious to design my own take on the slouchy t-shirt dress next Spring in a super-soft 14 gauge bamboo yarn which will feel like silk against your skin. And I think one made up in a black and white space-dyed pattern with a solid scoop neck trim will give it that sporty ringer look reminiscent of Kai's tee above.

Rarity is the New Luxury - the Margaret Rowe Collection

With the inauguration just around the corner, it's time to glam it up. Whether you'll be attending in person or hosting your own bash at home to celebrate, many fashionistas are pulling out their old standbys, their LBDs, and accessorizing with vintage baubles and fun jewels. Especially in this dire economy, a gal may have to work with what she has in her closet, but there's no reason to skimp on the accessories for a black tie affair.

I've recently found a great new resource for vintage jewelry that has been hand-crafted into one-of-a-kind pieces that will jazz up any basic sheath - the Margaret Rowe collection. Think Breakfast at Tiffany's or what Grace Kelly would wear to exude simple elegance. It's easy to inherit glamour when you don vintage jewelry. And with fashion trends churning out uniforms for the fashion set, it's even more important to make your own statement - rarity will be the new luxury when it comes to accessories. But it's also important to make any vintage find new again by updating into modern-day pieces, which is what designer Margaret Rowe has successfully done in her Heirloom collection of limited edition jewelry - bracelets, necklaces, brooches, earrings, and pendants. Many of these 1950's vintage brooches serve dual purposes as pins and pendants, and many I could easily see on our new first lady, who often is seen wearing catalog-giant J.Crew twinsets and colorful brooches.

Margaret Rowe's Decadence limited edition jewelry is very affordable and will make you feel like a million bucks when you wear any of these beautiful jewels. I'm thoroughly in love with the vintage crystal chain that is pure Coco Chanel and is right in line with the chain trend, but at $245, it's a lot more obtainable than Givenchy's take on the trend. If you're looking for something a bit more than your basic pearl necklace, I'm loving the Pearl Diamante Snowflake necklace which would look stunning on Michelle Obama with a simple black Thakoon sheath. If you really want to splurge, the Vendome pendant necklace is pure elegance in white and would be exactly what Grace Kelly would wear strolling down the Champs-Elysees.

View more of Margaret Rowe's Heiress Collection at www.heiressvault.com. Coming soon are a new web site and possibly a secondary line by Margaret Rowe.

Lead Law Toxic to the Apparel Industry

As a mother of two, I am sick of reading about toy recalls when toxins, such as lead and phthalates, have been found in children's toy. I actually participated in one such lead recall and had to send back several of my son's favorite Sesame Street plastic toys to Fisher Price for a rebate. And this is after my son had already been playing with these toys for several months with the paint already visibly coming off. Great! So after that experience, I was excited to hear that Congress finally passed a law in August that required manufacturers to test their products for lead before releasing to the public. But little did I know this new law, which takes in effect in early February, is completely flawed. Not only does this law encompass ALL children's apparel and toys under the age of 12, but it's retroactive which means any retailer sitting on merchandise after February 10th that has not been tested for lead, would not be allowed to sell it. That means a lot of brand new toys and clothing will be going to the dump, many which do not even contain contaminants. This will leave many small boutique owners, who unlike a Walmart of Target, cannot afford to have all of their inventory tested for lead and would most likely have to close their doors. Until recently this even included second hand stores, like Goodwill and Salvation Army, but thankfully the law was amended slightly to exempt used clothing and toy stores.

From a manufacturer's stand point, this law should not place a potentially lead-based painted plastic toy from China under the same umbrella as a 100% natural wood toy made in Vermont. This law will add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the manufacturing cost for small toy and apparel manufacturers. They will be forced to use independent lead testing companies, who can charge whatever they want, to test every style before shipping to their stores. This means every single component of a garment, such as a zipper or a button, would need to be individually tested. And even if a garment does not have any decorative trim, it would still need to be tested (where would the lead be anyway?)

Hey, I'm all for a law that protects our children from toxic lead paint and phthalates in plastics, but Congress can't arbitrarily make a law that does not take into consideration all the various businesses and products out there. I think the law should definitely require all plastic toys and painted toys to be tested, but it should be going forward and not retroactive so retailers have a chance to move their untested inventory. And this law should only include testing on apparel that has decorative trim that could be potentially hazardous to children. The trim, such as a zipper or button or applique, should be allowed to be tested separately from the finished garment so that if that trim is used more than once, the manufacturer doesn't have to incur unnecessary testing expenses. And apparel made of natural fibers, such as cotton, wool, or bamboo with no decorative trim, should be exempt from this law.

What's a shame is that the products that would be deemed safe, like a handmade wooden toy or an organic baby tee, would suddenly be out of your price range or disappear from the shelves completely, because those smaller manufacturers will be put out of business. But I guarantee, your choices for large, obnoxious, plastic toys made by the big guys like Fisher Price and Mattel will surely be crowding your local store's shelves, because they're the only ones who can afford the testing and are the reason this law was created. Unfortunately, it's the smaller manufacturers and retailers, who have not been to blame for all the lead-based products, who will be punished for the "big boys" sloppy production overseas.

If you at all feel the same way I do and want a change in this law, please sign the children's apparel industry petition to support a clarification of this law and a modification that would save many small businesses from going extinct unnecessarily.

Where Are All The Baubles?

One of my favorite guilty pleasures is hunkering down with a bowl of popcorn (and maybe some See's candy) in front of the boob tube and watching an awards show. As a designer, I feel it's my bloody right to hoot and howl and provide my own commentary for the fabulous and the ridiculous fashions on the red carpet. It's always fun to see what the stars wear and to pick up on industry trends that usually are reflective of the economic climate. And this year, the rumor even before the show was that stylists were going to tame down their stars and go for an understated glamour for this year's Golden Globes. That could not be more of a downer for me! That's what we gals look forward to with these cheesy award shows - the over-the-top glamour! Where did all the baubles go? The stylists weren't joking, that's for sure. There was barely a necklace in sight. The gowns and the colors were definitely more subdued too. The accessory du jour was the chandelier earring. With a bare neck, the chandelier looked rather refreshing. But, I do miss my baubles. Hey, that's what these big stars get paid for, to look fabulous and provide escapism for us ordinary folks. As if the stars are making a legitimate statement by not wearing expensive jewels draped around their necks. Get real, those gems are usually on loan anyway, so it's not like they're paying for them. At least if they wear them, we the audience can drool and imagine the decadence.

A few hits and misses in my book this year at the Golden Globes...Renee Zellweger was a total train wreck. What was up with that dress? It was like a fashion school project that utilized every design element in the book and all on one single dress. Total overkill. Ms. Drew Barrymore was definitely making a retro statement with her pale makeup and overly hairsprayed hair. Although I thought she looked beautiful it was kind of a strange statement to make by channeling 1950's Marilyn Monroe. What's old is new again I guess. Her buddy Cameron Diaz was working the prom dress look in her pretty in pink frock. I actually liked the dress and its simplicity and I'm sure the fabric was more than your typical acetate tafetta prom material being that it WAS a Chanel. But, Cameron was definitely making her recession statement by forgoing her highlights this month. Talk about mousey, get some highlights at the frickin' Riteaid if you have to. Two stars that failed to get the recession memo and chose to don their baubles in pride, were Beyonce and Christina Applegate. How refreshing and different! And as far as I'm concerned, Ms. Applegate, after surviving breast cancer and a double mastectomy, can wear whatever she damn well pleases and she'll look fabulous. One of my favorites, was the lovely and demure Kate Beckinsale in her wedding cake white draped confection. Simply stunning. The definite trend for dress shapes was the single shouldered gown; strapless but not quite.

For the guys, other than the penguin suit there wasn't much to talk about. The most interesting was Mickey Rourke's sequined scarf. Just the right amount of bling. I liked the Mad Men inspired skinny suit and skinny tie worn by David Duchovny. And Tom Cruise, sans Katie (which was a fashion disappointment,) obviously is not feeling the recession. He looked completely coifed from head to toe and must have had every facial/hair treatment done earlier in the day. Either that or he's just naturally beautiful and refreshed.

All in all, it was not the best award show to garner inspiration, but at least it got my mind off reality for a bit. All I can hope for is that the baubles will be back in town for the Oscars, because I'll be serving up the champagne and enjoying more cattiness.

In Her Shoes

Yesterday when I picked my daughter up from school, she surprised me with the best compliment I've received in a long time. Before even saying hello, she squealed with delight when she saw me in my new Sigerson Morrison boots and said, "Mommy's new shoes, I like them!" Boy, did that ever put a smile on my face and give me a boost of confidence after an exhausting day at work. It's the sort of compliment or fashion excitement you'd get from your BFF, but hearing it from your own 2-year old daughter is even more poignant.

I'm proud to say, my daughter has already expressed her passion for designer shoes at an early age. Her favorite past time is trolling around the living room in my various designer shoes. No matter that they're a size 10 1/2, the bigger the better in her eyes. She is especially enamored with my Prada black velvet wedges (circa 1997), my aubergine pointy-toe flats with toe-cleavage, and my Sigerson Morrison mauve mules. I have yet to let her play with my new gunmetal Sigerson booties, but I'm sure when I covet a new pair of shoes, I'll be willing to let her play with these. But I must say, she certainly has great taste for a 2-year old! She's not playing dress up with my boring Pumas or clunky Uggs or my metallic Havaianas (although she does love to don her own Locals flip flops as seen above.)

Shoes have always inspired me, even as early as 5-years old. I remember fondly declaring that my new favorite, all-time color, was "Tan" after my Mom purchased a new pair of tan colored slip-on wedges for Summer. To think that a new pair of shoes could influence a child's favorite color from Donny Osmond purple to tan! Go figure. And in 1st grade, I still to this day brag about wearing my favorite teacher, Ms. Wood's, denim-colored Doctor Scholls after having my own leather sandals break on the playground. Why I'm proud that I was wearing a woman's size 7/8 in only 1st grade is beyond me. It's probably more to do with having a keen eye for fashion and actually appreciating the iconic Dr. Scholls' "exercise shoes" back in '75 (and again in the mid 90's when fashion's 20-year trend cycle brought the sandal back in fashion.) And certainly today, shoes influence me as a designer, whether it's the exact color of leather aubergine paired with a blood red sole to inspire a particular collection's color palette or a specific curve in a wood heel to inspire a horn toggle on a winter sweater coat.

It's gratifying to have my daughter appreciate a great shoe early on. It could be dangerous for my wallet when she's a pre-teen, but my aspirations are more grandiose, hoping she'll become a designer too some day. But for now, shoes provide a wonderful outlet for creative play and fantasy. And I'm not talking about the "princess syndrome" (thankfully my daughter has yet to discover princesses and fairies or even Miley Cyrus or High School Musical.) But I wonder what goes through her little mind when she's skipping through the house in her Dorothy-inspired red glitter Mary Janes. Fantasy and escapism at its best, and possibly a future fashionista.

A Designer's List - 2009 Resolutions & Revelations

Aahh...a new year and a fresh start. This year I'm making a list. I've never been one to have a resolution per say, but I'm definitely a list maker. Not everything on my list is a challenge or a goal for the next year, but some are simply revelations in my world of fashion. The head of a designer needs order, or at least I do!

~Dress up! It's my new mantra. Especially when times are tough, you need to NOT look the part and put on a happy face and an optimistic wardrobe. Ditch the sweats and Uggs and pull on some sleek trousers or a pencil skirt, or if you insist on jeans (like I do), dress 'em up with some high-heeled booties or metallic flats. And I can proudly say, I've never owned a Juicy Couture tracksuit.

~Speaking of Jeans, thank God for diversity! Finally, all jeans are equal. Pretty much, wide leg, high-waisted, low-rise, boyfriend, pegged, or skinny is in. Which is great, because I love all of them! I'm happy to sport boyfriend jeans, skinny jeans, wide-leg trouser jeans, and bootleg all this year and not feel out of fashion one bit.

~Going Luxe for Less. Anything that's $400 plus (unless it's a fine leather handbag) will not be on my radar. There's no reason to pay $1500 for a Missoni sweater, when you can wear an equally luxurious space-dye creation by Stacia for under $200. And mine's in 100% sustainable bamboo that's friendly to the earth and feels like butter against the skin.

~Go Vintage. Accessories are a surefire way to upgrade your look and a vintage store or flea market is a great way to add some flash and save your cash. It's especially easy to find a specific jewelry trend at second-hand. Whether it's loading on the gold chains à la Givenchy, a Michelle Obama-style brooch, or a statement ring, the local vintage store will be your best bet. I will be scouring mine!

~Embrace the 80's. I've been avoiding it left and right, but I can't escape it. The fashion establishment has been shoving it down my throat for some time now and I'm finally coming around. The 80's are all too familiar, but the good news about the cycle of fashion is that the second time around, it's usually not as literal and usually an improvement on the original. So as I see it, I can take the 80's in small doses and be selective with my trends. I've gotten the must-have leggings already, but instead of wearing with Keds and an oversized Benetton sweater, I'll be updating it with some Sigerson Morisson leather booties and an eco-friendly bamboo tunic. Now that's an improvement!

~Long live the Scarf. I'm not letting go of this trend for 2009. It's actually a practical one I think. In a time of uncertainty, don't we all want to feel comforted? Snuggling up in my silky bamboo knitted scarf is my comfort of choice. And when you travel, it's the perfect throw to keep you warm, especially when all the airlines are skimping out on the blankets. I've got lots of Stacia bamboo scarves coming your way in 2009!

~Pamper thyself. I vow to not neglect myself this year. No matter how hard I work and how stressed out I get, I WILL take time for myself and indulge. At least one massage a quarter and a facial twice a year. I know that's probably modest, but here's someone who only does a spa day on a special occasion. I've already set the tone this year by purchasing a 75 minute Kate Somerville signature facial which came with a 2nd-one-free gift card, so yes, there's deals to be had even in beauty. And $9 community yoga classes at Santa Monica Yoga here I come! And maybe Lasik in the Spring if I'm brave!

~Keeping Green. The Eco trend is still in high gear and I'm sticking to my guns again this year. I've banned plastic bags for good in my household (although, I'm still training my husband!) and both kids are using reusable lunch boxes. No disposable water bottles either. I will continue to support The Surfrider Foundation and Heal the Bay. And keeping with the green theme, Stacia is going full force in 2009 with a complete Stacia Ecoknit Collection of washable bamboo and soybean knits that will put cashmere to shame.

The List may keep growing, but at least I've gotten started. There's nothing more pleasurable than crossing something off the List. Things to Do and things Done. 2009 is shaping up to be a good year!

Another One Bites the Dust

Boy, times are really tough when everyday you read about another store closing. Most recently, Russian celebutante Kira Plastinina announced the closing of her doors. Not exactly a tragic loss. Poor Daddy had to sink $80 million into his 16 year old daughter's passion for fashion. Money can't buy business sense and trying to compete with H&M and Forever 21 for cheap fast fashion is no easy task. I've always been a little annoyed with celebrities and socialites who try to become fashion designers overnight, thinking all they need is a fat checkbook and high profile BFFs. In my book, unless a designer has paid their dues organizing Donna Karan's trim closet or have done their time at Parsons, St. Martins, or FIT, than he or she is NO designer.

I wasn't exactly crushed with the bankruptcy of Kira Plastinina's empire, but today reading about Tracey Ross shuttering her eponymous boutique on Sunset was a sure blow. Not that I'm heartbroken that Lindsey Lohan or Samantha Ronson don't have a safe haven to shop in, but Tracey Ross has certainly been a landmark retailer in LA for 18 years and her closing is an end of an era. I remember back in 2000 when I was running my stacia new york shop in Brooklyn and came out to L.A. to check out the retail. Ms. Ross was kind enough to take the time to meet with me and give me some feedback on my line and let me pick her brain about opening a shop in LA. Although, now when I think back at my meeting with her in her swanky, dark loungy boutique, she was rather condescending. She basically told me to forget about LA retail and stay in NY. Thanks! At the time, I had no intentions or even the slightest inclination that I'd end up in LA, but sure enough 9 years later, I'm here! And I'm glad I didn't take her advice. Yes, I'm happy to have passed on an LA store for Stacia, but sure glad I didn't take her advice about not pursuing wholesale in LA. She basically said unless I'm an established NY brand, a t-shirt or jeans maker, or a celebrity chasing designer, forget about it. Boy, was she wrong!

I'm getting ready to ship out the first Spring collection for Stacia next week and I'm dreading the phone calls to my accounts, hoping they are still in business! I'm extremely loyal to my small boutique buyers and I'm rooting for their success, not just because they buy from me, but because I used to be a small retailer myself. I know how hard it can be and competing with 70% off sales at larger retailers is nearly impossible. Fashion is surely dead if small boutiques die. The small boutiques I sell to are innovative, provide an intimate shopping experience, and make fashion what it is - fun, exciting, and new. But, I have a horrible feeling a lot of these stores will not survive this latest economic blow. I'm praying they can hang in there and get through this bump in the road. So if you're a real fashionista out there, please try to support these small boutiques. Yes, everybody wants a deal, but I hate to break it to you, when a department store sells a designer's line at 70% off, it's the designer who eats it. The big department stores just take whatever loss they make off the designer's invoice or take "mark down money" off future invoices, which is basically not paying for the goods. And that can lead to less designers churning out innovative, exciting, new fashion for you in the future.