Outerwear on Studio 6

November 9th, 2010 § 1 comment § permalink

I hope you're not getting tired of me talking about Fall outerwear cause I still have another one after this.  I'm lucky to have been very busy lately.  This segment is from the show that is fast becoming my new second residence in Portland:  Studio 6 on KOIN.  As usual I work with the lovely Hayley, who is also becoming my new BFF, she's always so easy and nice to me.  Hayley happens to be four months preggers with her second baby, which is why she can't quite fit into the jacket I picked out for her.  It was my bad, I didn't think she'd be showing so soon.  Anyway, she'll know the sex of the baby the next time I see her, so I'll update on that if I can.

This segment was all about different trends and hot items in outerwear from some of my favorite retailers in downtown Portland.  I finally was able to feature Mercantile, one of my absolute faves, along with a new one for me; TALBOTS!  Who knew they had such cute things?  I'm hoping they keep it up so I can keep them in my go stable of retailers.  Hope you like my picks!

Multi-Functional Jackets on the CW

November 6th, 2010 § Comments Off § permalink

Here's another recent clip.  This one is from my favorite station WPIX, the CW in New York City.  I am very fortunate to work with several stations around the country, but the CW will always hold a special place in my history because it's where I did my first TV segment ever.  I wish I could dig that clip up and post it, but I don't know where it is.  I think it's still on tape somewhere, not even digitized.  It's from so long ago, that's when the station was the WB!  Oye.

They've changed a lot since then, as have I.  I've thankfully gotten better, and they have really elevated their game, which always makes it a pleasure to go back there.  And the producers I work with- Kate, Marcia and Clickity-Clack (an inside joke) are so good to me.  They literally get thousands of emails pitching them story ideas, and they are so sweet to me that they actually answer mine...... usually.

Anyway, I think this particular segment turned out really well.  I wanted to talk about outerwear, and my producer Kate elevated the idea making it all about multi-functional coats, which made it way more interesting.  Hope you think so too!

Outerwear in Philly

November 5th, 2010 § Comments Off § permalink


So I'm a little late on updating with this, but that's life.  I've been traveling a lot, as you'll see from these next few updates.  First is the 10! Show in Philadelphia.  I really like Philly.  I always have a good time there, and I think I am heading back there soon.  This segment, and the next few, are all about outerwear for the Fall and Winter.  This one was fun, but a lot of work.

I used to have a helper on these segments, but not anymore.  So on the day of the segment I was fitting the models, steaming their clothing, making sure everyone (including me) got into hair and makeup, rehearsing, memorizing my lines, and then finally sitting on the sofa with Lu Ann hopefully looking calm and collected while discussing fashion.

Did I accomplish that?  What do you think?

Falling In and Out of Fashion(shows)

October 21st, 2010 § Comments Off § permalink

I've been re-miss in updating, especially when it comes to my column at Just Out.  I've been slacking a bit lately, and I need to get better.  At any rate, check out my latest column below, and let me know what you think.
Spring/summer 2011 fashion shows have just wrapped up in the major fashion capitals of the world. Looking at the shows online got me thinking about when I used to attend those events. For me, they’re a strange combination of fabulous and annoyance, more so the latter in New York. But that’s getting ahead of myself. If I’m going to talk about attending fashion shows, I have to start with my first one.

Picture it: Paris, 1990-something, and I found myself up front and center at none other than a Christian Lacroix show. At the time, I was attending a tiny photo school in the 11th arrondissement, and the biggest fashion shows in the world were happening nearby at the Louvre. My best friend Julie decided to attempt to crash the shows by pretending we were paparazzi. To look the part, we loaded on as much photo gear as possible and stormed the Louvre. The more brazen of the two of us, I doubletalked my way past two rounds of security; Julie, sadly, got left behind.

I couldn’t worry about Jules because suddenly I was inside the heart of French fashion. Somehow—it had much to do with the naiveté of being 20—I chatted up a British fashion editor and convinced her to give me her extra ticket to the next show. I didn’t even know who was showing—that didn’t matter, I was going to a Parisian fashion show. Once inside, I realized I didn’t have an assigned seat, and back in those days photogs would line the sides of the runway, in addition to the pit at the end. I took a plum spot right at the end of the runway and marveled at the grandiose spectacle before me, which if you are at all familiar with Lacroix, is what he does best.

I freaked out. The clothes were insane, the models were stunning (including the future Mrs. Sarkozy, Carla Bruni), the photogs and spectators cheered for their favorite looks. I wished it would go on for hours. Sadly, though, fashion shows are typically about 20 minutes long, and this one ended far too soon. Afterward, I wandered around the Carrousel du Louvre trying to beg and plead my way into another show, but it was useless. I had used up all my brazen good luck and eventually left the building.

New York was a very different experience. This time around, I was actually invited to fashion shows as a market editor at Glamour magazine—no more conning my way in—but I was amazed at how many other people, professionals, still tried to sneak into shows. Once, while going into the Kenneth Cole show, I ran into a stylist I used to work with years earlier. When I mentioned I was heading into the show she asked, “Well, how are you getting in?”

“Uh, with the ticket I have,” I replied.

“Do you have another? I’d love to get in.”

I was stunned—a working woman, in her late forties if not early fifties, almost begging to get a ticket to a Kenneth Cole show. Just sad. If you’re gonna beg, it should at least be for Helmut, Marc or Calvin (Helmut was still alive and designing* at the time).

Unfortunately, over the past decade New York has led the way in commercializing fashion shows. They started inviting all sorts of random media and sponsors galore. I get some of them, like Evian and Mercedes. But one year, when there was a lounge sponsored by Airborne Express, I knew NYC shows had jumped the shark. Seriously, they couldn’t even get FedEx?

On top of that, it’s embarrassing to witness the way shows in NYC are run: The lines you have to wait on, the lists you pray to be on and the teeny spaces you’re herded through are pathetic. One year I, along with a slew of other editors—all of whom had tickets and seating assignments—were corralled up against each other through a 2-foot entryway into a Tommy Hilfiger show. I was literally nipple to nipple with inimitable Paul Cavaco (creative director of Allure magazine) and super stylish Amy Astley (editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue) trying to get into this show, and I felt bad for them. I was way far beneath them on the fashion totem pole, and yet here we all were, being herded like sad little sheep, all to see what was most likely a mediocre Hilfiger production.

That pretty much killed my affair with fashion shows. I know it probably sounds bitchy and entitled, but fashion shows are supposed to be about work, and now they are overcrowded celeb fests—which is fine. They can have their cattle herding and gross commercialization. I, however, am content to peruse the shows on Style.com from the comfort of my own home, sponsored by Indigo.

*Yes, I know Helmut Lang is still alive, but he’s dead to me. Write me about that or any other fashion question: kevin@thestudiopdx.com.

Fab Rain Boots on Studio 6

October 6th, 2010 § 1 comment § permalink

My new favorite local daytime program, Studio 6 on KOIN invited me back to talk about rain boots for Fall.  I gotta admit, at first I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to chat about this topic.  But in doing the market research on them, I honestly found tons of great options.  I almost needed a second table to hold all of them.  Anyway, check out all the great boots from Nordstrom, Macy's, Mario's, Kate Spade, and Fuego in downtown Portland.