Here at Combine Couture we want to take you behind the scenes and show you who these designers that you love so much really are. We want to show a bit of their personality and their background which got them to where they are today. Buying designer clothing is an amazing experience, but there is a lot more to the brand and the garments than the logo. Shopping from and wearing items from designers you can relate to and understand takes shopping to a whole new level. We will be doing a number of designers interviews going forward. Who would you like us to interview? What would you like us to ask? Let us know in the comment field below. We want to hear from you!

Here at Combine Couture we want to take you behind the scenes and show you who these designers that you love so much really are. We want to show a bit of their personality and the background which got them to where they are today. Buying designer clothing is an amazing experience, but there is a lot more to the brand and the garments than the logo. Shopping and wearing items from designers you can relate to and understand takes shopping to a whole new level. We will be doing a number of designer interviews going forward. Who would you like us to interview? What would you like us to ask? Let us know in the comment field below or on twitter under @CombineCouture. We want to hear from you! Check out one of our interviews below.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting fashion designer Rolando Santana in his New York City showroom. You’ll get to know him in the two videos below. The first is a sit down discussion where you’ll learn about Rolando’s background as well as get a tour of his fall 2010 collection from the Rolando himself. The second video contains our two standard questions: 1) What is your most embarrassing fashion outfit? and 2) What is your earliest fashion memory? Hope you enjoy it!

Whether you’re a power chick by day, dancing queen by night, or both(!), you’ll find a look you love in Rolando’s fall 2010 collection. Let us know what look you like best below in the comment section. We love to hear your comments!

(FTC disclosure: The back dress I’m wearing in the photo with Rolando was a gift from him after the interview was completed (not in exchange for it).

One thing I look forward to the most in the September fashion issues are the new glossy ad campaigns. As soon as the issues arrive, I sit down and page through them pausing slowly on each ad to review the carefully styled models and examine the setting and emotions evoked from the photographs. This year I decided to do a couple of posts that bring several of these ads together for your viewing enjoyment. Below is the first of two posts on a few of the new 2010 fall fashion ad campaigns. Since I just moved to the Upper East Side in Manhattan, I must say the ad that most resonates with me has to be Michael Kors this season. They simultaneously present the changing life and beauty of Central Park in autumn while carefully outfitting the models to both blend in with the scene and stand out in a way that makes you crave the head-to-boots outfits for your first stroll through the park. Which ads are your favorite? Sound off below

ALEXANDER WANG:

MICHAEL KORS:

CHANEL:

DKNY:

ARMANI EXCHANGE:

All images are property of their respective companies.

IMG Fashion announced the lineup for September’s first ever Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week being held in New York’s Lincoln Center. Fashion Week will kick off on September 9th and wrap up on September 16th. We’ll be there live tweeting at the event (Twitter: CombineCouture), but more and more designers are live-streaming the event for the general public. Check out blog as the dates approach and we’ll let you know which designers will be live-streaming and when. Below is the current running list of designers showing as provided by IMG Fashion today.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will present the following designers Nicholas K, Project Runway, Toni Maticevski, Richard Chai, Ruffian, Christian Siriano, Bensoni, Farah Angsana, VERRIER, Concept Korea, Richie Rich, Tadashi Shoji, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Duckie Brown, Michael Angel, Buckler, EDITION Georges Chakra, Ports 1961, Alexander Berardi, Academy of Art University, Lacoste, Binetti, Cynthia Rowley, Prabal Gurung, ADAM, Yoana Baraschi, Vivienne Tam, Mik Cire, Charlotte Ronson, Z Spoke by Zac Posen, Venexiana, Derek Lam, Timo Weiland, Lela Rose, DKNY, Rebecca Taylor, Rebecca Minkoff, Hervé Léger by Max Azria, Diane von Furstenberg, Trias, Global Glam Collection, Custo Barcelona, Tommy Hilfiger, Vassilios Kostetsos, William Tempest, Jenny Packham, Carolina Herrera, Carlos Miele, Diesel Black Gold, Tracy Reese, Donna Karan Collection, TONYCOHEN, Monique Lhuillier, Yeohlee, Herchcovitch;Alexandre, Betsey Johnson, Perry Ellis, Elie Tahari, Monique Péan, Badgley Mischka, Vera Wang, Rosa Cha, Max Azria, Bibhu Mohapatra, Dennis Basso, Luca Luca, Sophie Theallet, Tibi, Narciso Rodriguez, Toni Francesc, Bill Blass, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, General Idea, Adrienne Vittadini, Gottex, Milly by Michelle Smith, Odd Molly, Anna Sui, Mackage, Zang Toi, Ralph Lauren, Andy & Debb, Isaac Mizrahi, Davidelfin, Argentina Group Show, Calvin Klein Collection Women’s, J. Mendel, Rebecca Moses, Naeem Khan, L.A.M.B. and IVANAhelsinki.

Designers returning from previous seasons of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week or those showing for the first time as part of the lineup include Betsey Johnson, Bibhu Mohapatra, Bill Blass, Buckler, Cynthia Rowley, Derek Lam, Jenny Packham, L.A.M.B., Rosa Cha, Ruffian, VERRIER, Vivienne Tam, Zang Toi, among others.

Preliminary schedule of events:

September 9, 2010

9:00 AM Nicholas K, Studio

10:00 AM Project Runway, Theatre

10:30-11:30 AM Toni Maticevski, Box*

11:00 AM Richard Chai, Stage

1:00 PM Ruffian, Studio

2:00 PM Christian Siriano, Stage

2:30-4:00 PM Bensoni, Box*

6:00 PM Farah Angsana, Studio

6:30-7:30 PM VERRIER, Box*

7:00 PM Concept Korea, Theatre

9:00 PM Richie Rich, Studio

September 10, 2010

9:30-10:30 AM Tadashi Shoji, Box*

10:00 AM BCBGMAXAZRIA, Theatre

11:00 AM Duckie Brown, Stage

12:00 PM Michael Angel, Studio

1:30-2:30 PM Buckler, Box*

2:00 PM EDITION Georges Chakra, Stage

3:00 PM Ports 1961, Theatre

4:00 PM Alexander Berardi, Studio

6:00-10:00 PM Fashion’s Night Out

8:00 PM Academy of Art University, Theatre

September 11, 2010

10:00 AM Lacoste, Theatre

10:30-11:30 AM Binetti, Box*

11:00 AM Cynthia Rowley, Stage

1:00 PM Prabal Gurung, Studio

2:00 PM ADAM, Stage

2:30-3:30 PM Yoana Baraschi, Box*

3:00 PM Vivienne Tam, Theatre

4:00 PM Mik Cire, Studio

6:00 PM Charlotte Ronson, Stage

7:00 PM Z Spoke by Zac Posen, Theatre

9:00 PM Venexiana, Studio

September 12, 2010

10:00 AM Derek Lam, Stage

10:30-11:30 AM Timo Weiland, Box*

11:00 AM Lela Rose, Studio

1:00 PM DKNY, Off-site

2:00 PM Rebecca Taylor, Studio

2:30-3:30 PM Rebecca Minkoff, Box*

3:00 PM Hervé Léger by Max Azria, Stage

4:00 PM Diane von Furstenberg, Theatre

5:00 PM Trias, Studio

6:30-7:30 PM Global Glam Collection, Box*

7:00 PM Custo Barcelona, Stage

8:00 PM Tommy Hilfiger, Theatre

9:00 PM Vassilios Kostetsos, Studio

September 13, 2010

8:30-10:00 AM William Tempest, Box*

9:00 AM Jenny Packham, Studio

10:00 AM Carolina Herrera, Theatre

11:00 AM Carlos Miele, Stage

12:00 PM Diesel Black Gold, Off-site

1:00 PM Tracy Reese, Studio

2:00 PM Donna Karan Collection, Off-site

2:30-3:30 PM TONYCOHEN, Box*

3:00 PM Monique Lhuillier, Stage

4:00 PM Yeohlee, Off-site

5:00 PM Herchcovitch;Alexandre, Studio

6:00 PM Betsey Johnson, Theatre

7:00 PM Perry Ellis, Stage

September 14, 2010

9:00 AM Elie Tahari, Studio

9:00-10:30 AM Monique Péan, Box*

10:00 AM Badgley Mischka, Theatre

11:00 AM Vera Wang, Stage

1:00 PM Rosa Cha, Studio

1:30-3:30 PM Bibhu Mohapatra, Box*

2:00 PM Max Azria, Theatre

3:00 PM Dennis Basso, Stage

6:00 PM Luca Luca, Studio

6:30-7:30 PM Sophie Theallet, Box*

7:00 PM Tibi, Stage

8:00 PM Narciso Rodriguez, Theatre

9:00 PM Toni Francesc, Studio

September 15, 2010

8:30-10:00 AM Bill Blass, Box*

9:00 AM Tory Burch, Studio

10:00 AM Michael Kors, Theatre

11:00 AM Nanette Lepore, Stage

1:00 PM General Idea, Studio

1:00-2:30 PM Adrienne Vittadini, Box*

2:00 PM Gottex, Theatre

3:00 PM Milly by Michelle Smith, Stage

5:00 PM Odd Molly, Studio

6:00 PM Anna Sui, Theatre

6:30-7:30 PM Mackage, Box*

9:00 PM Zang Toi, Studio

September 16, 2010

10:00 AM Ralph Lauren, Skylight Studio, 275 Hudson Street

11:00 AM Ralph Lauren, Skylight Studio, 275 Hudson Street

11:30-1:00 PM Andy & Debb, Box*

12:00 PM Isaac Mizrahi, Theatre

1:00 PM Davidelfin, Studio

2:00 PM Argentina Group Show, Stage

3:00 PM Calvin Klein Collection Women’s, 205 W 39^th St, Ground Floor

4:00 PM Calvin Klein Collection Women’s, 205 W 39^th St, Ground Floor

6:00 PM J. Mendel, Studio

6:30-7:30 PM Rebecca Moses, Box*

7:00 PM Naeem Khan, Stage

8:00 PM L.A.M.B., Theatre

9:00 PM IVANAhelsinki, Studio

*Designer Presentation

When I was living in London, back in 2005, one of the hottest trends at the time were dressy shorts paired with sky-high simple stilettos. You couldn’t pop your head in a club or a lounge without seeing them. The trend made its way to the US and this summer women are are taking a more sophisticated angle on this still burning hot trend. Some of Hollywood’s most refined celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, Leighton Meester, and Kate Bosworth have been seen sporting their shorts with matching suit jackets. This trend works because the short shorts can show off your legs and are sexy enough that you can wear an oversized or slouchy boyfriend style suit jacket on top. (Remember one of the rules of styling is to pick one asset to highlight–not all of them. In this case it’s legs.) For day you can pair with casual gladiator sandals and for an evening look try strappy shoes like Leighton Meester (photo above, right).

In addition to the beautiful garments Marc Jacobs and Miuccia Prada presented at 2010 Fall Fashion Week,  cat eye sunglasses are yet another throwback trend to 1950s fashion. These Norma Kamali square cat eye “ZYL Frames” (above) and Tom Ford “Astrid” sunglasses above are just a couple of examples. These retro shades have been spotted everywhere from the west coast to the east coast and back.

If you’re looking to update your wardrobe with a few key pieces, many people will go for accessories such as sunglasses because they can freshen up your look and also be used nearly every day (so long as the sun is out of course).  When buying sunglasses, or glasses for that matter, you want to look for something that balances out your face. What I mean by that is if you have a long or oval shape face, you want wider glasses, if you have a square face you should look for oval or circular glasses. One of the great things about cat eye glasses, in addition to the feminine vintage appeal, is that they come in different sizes and can often compliment most face shapes. Play around with a few to see what balances with your specific face shape best. For some of you with oval faces, you’ll want a style that exaggerates the pointiness on the side like Scarlett Johansson wore. Others with a more pronounced or square jaw line may want to try a rounder style like the Norma Kamali versions.

In addition to the aforementioned styles by Norma Kamali and Tom Ford, you can also find other cat eye styles from Jason Wu, Sonia Rykiel (shown left), Miuccia Prada, Diane von Furstenberg and several other designers. (Below Scarlett Johansson wears a vintage pair by Tom Ford.) Most are available in standard black and brown tortoise colors but if you want more glam go for a sparkly jewel-encrusted version such as these (right) by Sonia Rykiel.

I like to consider myself a first mover when it comes to technology, but I had n0t had a chance to purchase an iPad before a friend gave me one (as a very nice gift) this past weekend. (I won’t turn this into a technology review, but I will the say the form and size is so fantastic and light!) The once slow to adapt fashion houses are starting to pick up speed. The Apple iPad has hardly been out for three months now and both Oscar de la Renta and Gucci have already designed iPad cases. These newly fashionably, iPad Clutches, or fabulously luxurious iPad covers, are not only designed, but have been selling out too. The ODLR iPad clutch was released in three colors (red, white, and yellow) but has sold out in 2 of the 3 already in the last month. The once existing gap between the geeks and the chics is continuing to blur as fashion begins to embrace technology and does so by decorating it high street style.

(Photos from Apple and Oscar de la Renta respectively)

Introducing, “The Katrin” from UNNUR

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with handbag and accessory designer, Unnur Fridriksdottir, in her Los Angeles studio. While meeting with her and viewing her latest designs, the first bag that caught my eye was her oversized clutch, the “Katrin” (video footage coming soon). One of my favorite elements of the Katrin bag is how sturdy the structure is. The bag will remain in the shape you see in the photos no matter how much is in it. That way it always looks beautiful and doesn’t loose shape or  bend if it’s not full. The oversized clutch is perfect for day to night or weekend wear when you need to carry more than cash and a couple of credit cards. This bag is small enough to look sharp and sophisticated yet big enough to fit hair brushes, many wallet sizes, toothbrushes, and other items you may need to have with you. Included in the bag you will find a chain shoulder strap which can be added to the bag if you want to wear it over your should instead of as a clutch. In addition to the size, structure, and versatility of the Katrin, the craftsmanship and quality is to die for. You can see just how beautiful the scales and colors are in the photos above and below. This bag is at the top of my list for “have-to-have” handbags right now.

Because the Katrin is the “Have-to-have” handbag right now, we’re offering a two week special! This made-to-order bag is usually $695 but we’re temporarily lowering the price to $550 for our favorite fashionistas on Combine Couture. Order it now! Price goes back up in two weeks. SHOP the “Katrin” bag by UNNUR  here on Combine Couture.

Here is another example, the “Totally Turnlock Magazine Clutch” from Marc by Marc Jacobs. Just like the Katrin bag, this bag can be worn as a clutch or you can clip in the detachable shoulder strap and wear it as a shoulder bag or across your chest as more of a sachel. This bag has a 19.5′ drop so it will fall lower than the Katrin bag will (see photo below from Saks Fifth Avenue).

Yves Saint Laurent offers a simply elegant black leather version of the oversized clutch. The Marc by Marc Jacobs and Yves Saint Laurent bags are not currently available on Combine Couture, but are available for purchase on our partner’s site, Saks Fifth Avenue.

Today Karl Lagerfeld, creative director for the House of Chanel, unleashed a wild performance of his fall 2010 Haute Couture collection. The models appeared on stage accompanied by an enormous, and I mean enormous, roaring lion with one paw lifted and balancing on a pearl the size of a small house. It’s easy to guess the pearl was an homage to Coco Chanel herself who incorporated pearls into many of her looks and have become a staple at the house of Chanel. Even though the setting of the show was a big production, the clothes themselves were fairly traditional of the house sticking to expected silhouettes and colors such as gray, ivory, crimson, and gold. Here are a few of my selected favorites for you from his collection of over sixty looks. Which look do you like best?

Images from (Giovanni Giannoni, WWD.com)

After receiving several complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said on Wednesday, that they are banning the above two ads from Diesel’s “Be Stupid.” campaign which both contain the slogan “smart may have the brains but stupid has the balls. Be stupid. Diesel.” The ASA confirms they are banning them for being offensive and for “encouraging anti-social behavior.”

Thank God! I’ve never been so offended by an advertising campaign. It’s not the nudity which is offensive (as Diesel comments on), but the message that “Be Stupid” is sending to teens around the world. Women have spent decades fighting for our rights and still today hard-working, intelligent, professional women are fighting to be taken seriously in the board room and somehow Diesel and their advertising execs think it is a good idea to encourage young women that “Be(ing) Stupid” is synonymous with cool?

They take it even further in a video for this campaign on their website which reads, “The world is full of smart people. Doing all kinds of smart things. That’s smart. Well, we’re with stupid…”

Diesel’s response to the banning of these ads was, “the posters portrayed a very strong and unexpected image of femininity, aligning it with typically masculine themes such as the lion and that the confident behavior in the combination with the use of the text ’stupid has the balls’ described her way of thinking.”

I’m glad they banned these ads but wish the whole campaign would be put to rest. This is not a positive message for our young generations. What do you think? Sound off in the comment field below.