Trend Alert - Safety Cone Orange

Fall 2009 is in full swing. The NY runway shows are over, trade show season has begun, and the trends are in clear view. These are clothes you won't be wearing for another 9 months, but it's fun to see what the designers have cooking up for us. Color is always the easiest trend to spot and it's amazing that so many designers can be on the same wavelength. Yes, even in this downer economy, designers are taking note and toning down their palettes and creating comfort clothes that you can snuggle up in next Fall. Let's all hibernate until it's over! Maybe when we come out from under our safety zone, it'll all be over and we can resume with confidence.

The runways were flooded with muted tones and graphite was officially the new black (Kate Winslet's Oscar gown was right on target with the gradation of grays and blacks that were hot on the runways.) So glad I added that gray/black Baja stripe to my Fall soybean sweater group at the last minute! But the runways weren't all somber. The refreshing trend was subtle pops of neon color, reminiscent of the '80's. What better way to spice up a gray look than with a jolt of safety-cone orange? I've always been a fan of orange and I'm happy to see it pop up in several designers' runways, for both men and women.

Orange was a huge color trend for Spring '09, so it's only natural that the trend flow into Fall, especially since we're all trying to stretch our trends and dollars. For my Stacia Palm Springs Spring collection, orange was a huge inspiration. It's clean, it's fresh, and uplifting, and unlike yellow, it's much easier to wear. It's funny that safety-cone orange is the new "it" accent color for Fall since I've been on the hunt for actual orange cones for my son's birthday party. And while I'm hunting high and low for these miniature soccer cones, I'm thinking what a great color! Obviously not from head to toe, but as an accent, it's rather flattering.

Michael Kors, always the optimist, was not afraid to have his ladies parade down the Fall runway with crayola colored furs, safety-cone orange accents, and neon pop colors to contrast with the dull, gray crowd. Check out Bill Cunningham's brilliant take on the fashion set at the shows; he pretty much sums it up. So if you must be a downer and wear gray until the cloud has lifted, at least show some optimism and add a splash of color with your scarf or shoe. If it doesn't put a smile on your face, at least it'll cheer up the folks around you.

Notes From the Oscars

No, I was not fortunate enough to be at the Oscars tweeting non-stop my fashion hits and misses. I was actually snug on my couch in pj's, indulging with ice cream, and making my personal picks from the comfort of my own home. Right off the bat it was easy to identify the chic from the "what were they thinking?" Sure-fire winners of the evening were newbie Taraji Henson (loved her sleek bob and elegant dress), Natalie Portman (someone finally not afraid of color), and Anne Hathaway (gorgeous dress.) A few losers...Miley Cyrus (was that a tin foil dress?), Beyonce (her own design, oh good grief!), and Marisa Tomei's origami dress (is it made of paper?)

I personally loved Tilda Swinton's get-up (she usually wears a Viktor & Rolf design). It was certainly a nontraditional Oscar look, very tonal, but she could have easily stepped off any NY runway, which is why I liked it. Gorgeous Frida Pinto should really have worn yellow rather than aging herself 10 years with that boring navy dress. Yellow was a huge symbol in "Slumdog Millionaire" and it would have been wonderfully refreshing if she had worn a beautiful yellow frock similar to Cate Blanchett's 2005 dress.

I was a little sick of all the asymmetrical, one-shoulder dresses. A trend that has been beaten to death. Overall the Oscars were a bit somber in color; enough with all the black and grey! I know they all received the recession memo, but please, aren't these stylists seeing what's coming off the Fall '09 runways -- Color! I guess that's why a few celebs were standouts on the red carpet, with pops of color amongst the sea of black - Natalie Portman in Rodarte, Alicia Keys in pretty mauve, and Heidi Klum in red carpet red. I loved all the champagne neutrals and taupes too - Anne Hathaway's sparkly Armani, Jessica Biel's duchess satin column, Meryl Streep's Alberta Ferretti, and goth Evan Rachel Wood.

Not a big fan of the cinderella-princess-wedding cake looks and could have done without all the fishtails - Sara Jessica Parker, Vanessa Hudgens, and Beyonce. Less is more in my book. I'm so happy Kate Winslet finally won and she was simply elegant in the grey/black tonal gown, and I especially loved her futuristic, sculpted hair.

And didn't Angelina wear that black strapless gown before at another awards show? I swear I've seen it before. But hey, I'm all for recycling. I loved Penelope Cruz's vintage Balmain and adore the fact that she's been coveting it for months and finally went back to the store and it was still waiting for her on the rack for just the perfect occasion. She reminded me of a young Sophia Loren. Speaking of Sophia Loren, how could someone with so much style in her heyday have suddenly lost good taste? Not even good plastic surgery could have saved this train wreck. I'm still reeling from the nightmares from last night. Please Penelope, stay away from the knife and keep your fashion clean and simple as you age.

Soybean is the New Cashmere

It's official. I'm declaring that soybean is the new cashmere. In this economy, who needs $500 cashmere sweaters, that ultimately pill, and are not necessarily seasonless? For those of you who can't wear wool, I understand the need for cashmere. But ladies, rest assured, there are more affordable solutions out there. I've recently fallen in love with soybean, a fairly new fiber form that is both eco-friendly, washable (save on those cashmere dry cleaning bills!), and super-duper soft against your skin. Oh yeah, and it's warm and perfect year-round. So save your bucks and invest in some soybean. My Fall '09 collection, now previewing at the Vegas and NYC trade shows, highlights this new fiber and is the basis of my EcoKnits collection. When combined with bamboo and knitted up in a lofty 7gg, my new Stacia soybean sweaters are simply scrumptious. They're as soft as cashmere, will not pill, are washable, and plenty warm for Fall. But when made up in a lighter 12gg, these sweaters are also seasonless. No need to switch out your wardrobe each season and deal with moth balls. You'll get plenty of wear year-around with soybean. For my Winter collection, I also combined the soybean with bamboo and wool, for a heftier weight perfect for the Aspen slopes or the NYC city streets in October. No itch factor thanks to the bamboo and soybean, but with a touch of wool, it feels like a real winter sweater you can bundle up in. So say goodbye to those $500 cashmere sweaters and say hello to the new fiber of choice - Soybean!

Escape to Palm Springs

It's February, and even in LA, I'm dying to escape the weather. With Spring just around the corner, I'm itching to wear some color and jump-start into Spring fashion. My new Stacia Spring collection has hit the selling floor just in time for Spring fever. This season, my collection was appropriately inspired by Palm Springs and the mid-century lifestyle of a poolside lounging fashionista. What better way to celebrate Spring than with a quick jaunt to good 'ol Palm Springs. Think brat-pack and their entourage, swigging cocktails before noon, and soaking in the warm desert sun poolside at a Neutra-designed home. What would you be wearing? A Stacia bamboo beach tunic in a Pucci-inspired space-dyed print or a black n' white retro poolside dress with large Jackie O shades, of course. These are my dream clothes inspired by the glamorous Palm Springs of the 50's and 60's. Beautiful, stream-lined homes in this desert oasis, decorated with clean-lines and Eames furniture, and glamorous women draped on poolside chaise lounges, sipping martinis. Ahh, those were the days. So if you're ready to escape the doldrums of February and want to get ahead start on Spring, check out my new escapism collection at shopstacia.com. Whether you're lucky enough to travel to Palm Springs and enjoy the high-life or just want to look the part, there's plenty of goodies to choose from at Stacia.

Downtime at Shutters

The stressful, but fun photoshoot is over, the look book laid out and ready to print, so finally some downtime...my choice, Shutters on the beach in Santa Monica. My favorite getaway just down the street on Pico. Two reasons to celebrate and splurge - the end of my photoshoot and my 7 year wedding anniversary. Shutters is the perfect escape for a quiet, luxurious sleepover with its super-silky cotton sheets, plantation shutters, comfy robes, and soothing bath salts. Ahhh, what's better than relaxing in a pile of pillows in bed after a relaxing whirlpool bath, and watching a little Arrested Development? Nothing like taking the mind off work. The only bummer was the rainy, February chill at the beach, which rules out poolside lounging, but hey, we made the best of it! I highly recommend keeping dinner simple with just a hop across the street to Catch, the seafood restaurant at Casa del Mar. After a yummy (and much needed) pomegranate martini, we enjoyed chilean sea bass, monkfish, and roasted brussel sprouts (total comfort food.) The highlight of the dinner, though, was spotting a Stacia in the restaurant. The woman at the table next to us, was chicly wearing my Haiku bamboo/cotton cocoon sweater from last Fall. It's always sort of surreal seeing someone wearing one of my sweaters in public. Finally, top off the stay with a scrumptious brunch at the Coast, Shutters recently remodeled Pedals restaurant, with its diner-style bar and up-close and personal view of the bike path and Santa Monica beach. Despite the gloomy weather, it was a great February escape. Now back to reality and the trade show circuit...

Behind the Scenes - Stacia Photoshoot

The days leading up to my bi-annual Stacia photo shoots are always stressful and full of anxiety -- praying for all my samples to come in before factories close for Chinese New Year, finding a great photographer and model on my measly budget, selecting my "looks", and scouting locations. And all so I can capture the essence of my next collection in print.

This time around, I was aiming for a more editorial look that evoked the natural elements of my new Fall '09 collection. With groups titled "Monterey", "High Desert", and "Altitude" and using sustainable, eco-friendly fibers like soybean and bamboo, I figured the hills of Malibu would be the perfect backdrop for my rustic collection of cozy knits.

February 2nd was D-day. 9 a.m. sharp in Malibu Creek State Park, pretty much the middle of nowhere in God's country. My nerves were at their peak, hoping and praying we'd get all of the shots done in 8 hours. Finally, the collection that's been brewing in my head for over 4 months now would come to fruition for the world to see. So far so good, everyone arrived, my fabulous team - Colette (the photographer), Adrienne (hair/makeup), Jenna (the model), Daniel (the tech guy), Thao (my right-hand stylist and moral support), and Amy and Misa (two incredible volunteers.)

And the trek began...hauling 4 large duffle bags of samples, camera equipment, and schlepping through the outback with our gear and trying to do so under the radar. Other than getting some great pictures in this beautiful setting of trees, brush, and rolling hills, our main objective was to avoid the dreaded park rangers since we didn't have a fancy (and expensive!) filming permit. We weren't exactly a large movie crew nor Vogue magazine on an elaborate photo shoot, so as far as I was concerned it was worth the risk getting busted without a permit.

After about 9 looks we were on a roll. Every shot looked like a frickin' layout in Elle magazine. I was so happy to finally get my editorial shots of my collection and have my vision come to life. All was going smoothly until we spotted the dreaded white ranger truck. We immediately slumped down, put the camera away, and pretended to be enjoying a lovely day in the park. Unfortunately, it happened to be the day after the Super Bowl so all the usual slacker rangers were off-duty, so the big honcho ranger (head of permits!) was subbing and doing so with gusto. With his gun in sling, swaggering walk, and pre-requisite mustache, Mr. Ranger was ready to flex his muscle and big shiny badge and explain the importance of obtaining a film permit and that we had brazenly 'broken the law.' Great! My life was flashing before my eyes (or at least the rest of the collection that would not get photographed) and I was going to be hauled off in cuffs and all for the sake of fashion! But the key to quick release is to just play dumb. The sooner we got out of there the sooner we could scout a new location and get on with this shoot. We dutifully handed over our names and id's so he could run our driver's licenses through the system to make sure this group of fashionistas weren't serial killers or predators.

According to my experienced photographer, getting caught without a film permit is pretty common and usually uneventful where rangers typically just ask you to leave in peace. But this guy was going for broke and really wanted to shame us into believing his job is oh so important! Luckily none of us had any records or outstanding warrants so we were given the heave ho without any further incident.

So with our tail between our legs and bags of samples, we moved on. Thanks to my resourceful photographer, she quickly found us a new location right down the road but off park property. We resumed our shoot in a beautiful vacant for sale lot in a quiet residential horse area. It's amazing that the landscape and lighting were equally as beautiful as the park and without the stress and hassles of rangers and permits. I must admit the adrenalin of our run-in with the law really got our creative juices flowing! Everyone was pumped. The shoot just got more fun because now we had something to laugh about and because we were losing sunlight by the minute, we all had to work more efficiently and more creatively to get the job done.

At the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment and adventure, we literally shot the last look right at sundown with not a minute to spare. And for my Rendezvous capsule collection, this was the best possible lighting to highlight my Holiday line. An end to a successful and super fun day of fashion. A reminder to me of why I'm even doing this -- because fashion is fun and simply in my blood.