Spring/Summer 2013 Trend Forecast

Wordless Wednesday

(image via freepeople.com)

Trend Watch: Eclectic Inclinations

I am currently working on curating a womenswear collection that focuses on apparel that is modest yet keeps up with with current trends and creating a store concept around it in one of my merchandise management courses. As a warm up for that final project, I explored a trend that I believe is going to be huge this Spring. Welcome to Eclectic Inclinations! This trend is all about mixing high end and fast fashion, being daring with bold hues, big patterns, and quirky textures. Being eclectic is all about putting an outfit together that no one else would think of and being aesthetically pleasing at the same time. What this trend is not meant to inspire is desperately seeking attention. Desperation is the root of all evil, so don't use Nicki Minaj (no offense to Nicki) as your fashion muse when listening to your eclectic inclinations. Instead, look to people like Erin Fetherston, Susie Bubble, and Leandra Medine for inspiration on color, texture, and accessories. Let me know what y'all think of this new eclectic vibe! Will you be experimenting with this trend in your dressing this Spring?

Store Concept:

Style Inspiration:

DIY Easy & Delectable Apple Chips

I recently ran across the idea of dehydrating sliced apples to make apple chips. I know I am a little late on the bandwagon, but better late than never right? Anyways, I don't own a dehydrator, so I decided to try my hand at making them in the oven. And guess what?! It worked! I have since made several batches and I thought I would share the recipe with all of you. Hope you enjoy this super easy, guilt-free, and absolutely delicious treat!

Supplies:

-apples of your choice

-cinnamon powder (optional)

-oven

-apple corer (optional)

-mandoline slicer (optional) 

1. Core the apples. 

I like to get rid of the core and seeds. But, I read somewhere that some people like to make their apple chips without coring. You may want to try both methods to see which one you like more.

2. Slice the apples. 

Yes, I cheated and used a mandoline slicer. It's really the easiest way, but you can also slice them by hand. Although if I had sliced mine by hand, I wouldn't be posting a picture of them online;)

3. Lay apple slices on a sheet of wax paper on a baking tray.

I also sprinkled my apples with cinnamon powder since I used granny smiths. The sweet cinnamon and sour apple combination turned out to be unbelievably good. You could also experiment with other spices and mix and match different apple types with various toppings. Play around with it a bit!

3. Bake the slices at 225 °F.

Leave them in the oven until the moisture is removed from the slices. You will see them start to crinkle up like potato chips. Also, flip them over once to make sure they dry out evenly on both sides. This process takes me about 30-35 minutes, but it really depends on the thickness of your slices.  

4. Store apple chips in an airtight container.

This will keep your snack fresh and crunchy for a long time. But, I hope your apple chips turn out to be so good that they never make it to an airtight container. 

Have a fabulous day!

xoxo

Aneela

Prabal Gurung for Target

Nepalese American designer Prabal Gurung is the newest featured designer collaboration at Target. I have to admit I don't go absolutely gaga over his work, but I really appreciate designers that have been through the fashion school system. Gurung happens to be a graduate of Parsons! Can anyone say dream school?!

Even though I am not a huge fan of the pieces Gurung designed for Target, I believe they are a strong representation of his style. The collection does an amazing job of putting together entire looks as opposed to featuring individual pieces that do not promote multiple purchases.

The collection features staple dresses that could work in a business casual setting. And, the dresses can quickly be transformed from day to night with a great mix of evening footwear, handbags, and jewelry. I think the most impressive thing about this collection is how cohesive the entire collection is and the generous number of pieces there are to choose from. The collection provides 21 pre-coordinated ensembles in its lookbook! That is a lot to choose from for a collaborative collection. So, if you are partial Prabal Gurung's work (or even if you've never heard of him before now), hop on over to target.com and feast your eyes out!

*I have added the lookbook from the collection below. My personal favorites are the shirt dress from look #7 and look #17! What are your faves? Comment below!

(images via target.com)

Wordless Wednesday

(image via pinterest.com)

Sorry Target, You're Not Cutting It

Dear Decision Makers at Target:

I have a major bone to pick with you since your release of your collaboration with Neiman Marcus that features various members of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America). I'll preface my concern by saying I am normally very pleased when you folks decide to collaborate with designers. I agree it is a great way to give regular people with a love for fashion an opportunity to purchase items from designers they look up to. Your Missoni collaboration last year was well executed and every piece added something special to the overall collection.

I was equally if not more excited when I found out you would be collaborating with Neiman Marcus to make designers I am obsessed with (Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenburg, and Tory Burch) readily available to the American public. But, I have to be honest and say that every designer's pieces left something to be desired.

I am just going to focus on the three designers mentioned above and give you my two cents on the matter:

1. Marc Jacobs: Marc Jacobs is my all time favorite fashion designer. There is no way around the fact that the man is a creative genius. I also believe his attempt at the collaboration was the most genuine. He actually created designs of items similar to those he actually sells in his own line. He came up with a leather pouch (clutch) in gold, rose gold, and gunmetal shades. I appreciate the fact that he used real leather to create his pieces, but the color choices gave both of the gold shades a rather artificial look. And, I think it's a little counterproductive to pay for real leather that looks fake because of the way it is crafted. Also, the fact that the clutch is a pouch, gives it a very pencil case-y look. I can't quite figure it out, but the clutches look like they belong in a bag instead of being stand-alone pieces. Marc Jacobs also designed a black scarf for the collection. Again, it seemed like a genuine effort, but I cannot justify blowing seventy dollars on a solid black scarf that could easily be found elsewhere.

2. Diane von Furstenburg: Ok, what happened here? When I heard Diane von Furstenburg was on the list of designers creating for Target, the first thing that came to mind was the legendary wrap dress silhouette that was birthed by her. I thought for sure she would create some version of that dress or at least gift us with some dupe of her many other amazing silhouettes. But, what did we get instead? A jewelry box and a yoga mat! Really, a yoga mat?! And fifty dollars a piece at that I might add! I just feel like we deserved to see an actual garment from a fashion designer who makes garments instead of a box and a mat in a punchy print.

3. Tory Burch: Alright, last but not least, I think it was a great move to get Tory Burch in on the Target action. She is fairly new to the fashion scene and has been growing in popularity among celebrities and fashion lovers alike. Her fame primarily comes from her classic reva flats and many variations of handbags that both feature the legendary Tory Burch medallion. It would have been really phenomenal to see her incorporate the metal medallion into her Target pieces in some way. Oh well. But, I will add that it was refreshing to see her use one of her most famous prints on both pieces she did for the line (lunch box and beverage container).

Overall, I just feel as if these designer collaborations hurt the image of designers if there pieces do not evoke the same emotions in the customer as do the pieces from their regular lines. I also believe that the designers' talents are not portrayed accurately through collaborations if they are not executed thoughtfully. I think when doing designer collaborations, it is more important to focus on quality and authenticity rather than quantity and speed which I didn't see happening this time around. I really hope there are more collaborations in the future that include pieces that more effectively demonstrate the talents and individuality of the designers involved.

(All images via target.com)