Lam’s eBay launch, Upbeat holiday outlook, Gilt looks West, LVMH to continue Hermès spree, The last Moss

Derek Lam | Source: Derek Lam

Derek Lam launches crowd-sourced collection on eBay (The Cut)

“Upon the collection’s initial unveiling, anyone with Internet access will be able to vote immediately for their favorite looks online to determine what goes into production.”

U.S. luxury, dept stores set for Xmas bounce (Reuters)

“Luxury and department stores will be the biggest beneficiary of expected growth in the U.S. retail market this holiday season, according to the head of the National Retail Federation.”

Gilt City acquires Bergine.com (Luxury Daily)

“Gilt City has acquired Bergine.com to combine two local leaders of luxury services and experiences. The acquisition is a first for Gilt City’s parent company, Gilt Groupe Inc. It accelerates Gilt City’s West Coast expansion.”

LVMH says will continue to buy Hermès shares (Reuters)

“LVMH said… it planned to buy more Hermès shares and disclosed to French regulators that it built up its 17.1 percent stake in Hermes partly through derivatives, called equity swaps.”

Moss’ final Topshop collaboration (Independent)

“As she prepares to unveil her last [collection] – what has the high-profile partnership done for the fortunes of the model, the mogul – Topshop owner Sir Philip Green – and the crowds who have bought into Brand Moss?”

Gucci Makes $225 Glasses For Viewing 3-D Movies

We at least have to give Gucci props for doing something original. Introducing what we’re pretty sure is the first ever pair of luxury 3-D glasses. 3-D movies are increasing in popularity and people have speculated that, at some point in the future, all movies will be shown in 3-D. And even though movie theaters give you a free pair when you buy your ticket, maybe owning your own 3-D glasses will become a thing. It’s more green, like taking tote bags when you go grocery shopping.

But, Gucci might be taking this a little too far. It’s one thing to reuse your plastic 3-D glasses from Avatar, but another to spend money–$225 to be exact–on a pair of >glasses that no one will see. That’s right. Unless you decide to pull them out for all of your friends to be like, “Hey! Look at my Gucci 3-D glasses,” no one will see them because you can only wear them in a dark movie theater.

Still, Gucci is convinced that they are really onto something. The press release basically promises that Gucci is spearheading a new trend that will “signal a momentous change in the world of vision.”

Key Features (taken from press release):

- Fashion forward, pilot-shaped plastic aviator in shiny black featuring an Eighties retro sensibility
- Produced under license by Safilo Group, the unisex 3-D glasses present the iconic Gucci “web” green and red striping detail along the temples and along the center brow bar of the frame.
- Personalized with the Gucci 3D logo printed near the endpiece of each temple and on the right lens.
- Optically correct 6-base curved lenses with circular polarized technology
lenses will contain a high tech multi-layered mirrored coating which allows the wearer to view themselves in a mirror without distortion. The mirrored coating not only provides a premium look as well as offers superior viewing and contrast enhancement, but also allows over 98 percent of visible light through, therefore not affecting viewing in a cinema environment.
- An anti-reflective coating has been applied to the back of the lens for additional overall image quality by reducing scattered light, glare and blue light.
The glasses are intended for movie theater use only and should not be used for any other purpose.

The glasses will be available exclusively in United States Gucci boutiques in December, so don’t forget to stop there on your way to the next 3-D movie. Really curious to see how these do. Would you buy designer 3-D glasses in lieu of free plastic ones?

Street Style: Meghan Listens to Karen Elson

Name: Meghan

Age: 21

Occupation: Sales Associate

How would you describe your style? Feminine, not girly. I don’t like any ruffles. I love to look like a woman.

What are you listening to? The Karen Elson CD

What are you going to be for Halloween? I’m going to be one of the “Addicted to Love” girls from the music video.

What is your favorite type of candy? Werther’s

How do you take your coffee? Splenda and a splash of milk.

Did you buy anything today at the Green Market? Yep. I just got some lettuce!

**All photos by Ashley Jahncke.

Military and Maxis at Banana Republic for Spring 2011

Banana Republic previewed their spring collection yesterday and there’s plenty to look forward to come February when the pieces hit stores. As was the trend on the Spring runways last month, the show opened with a series of white airy looks. The opening dress, a white maxi dress with eyelet detail, will be a perfect summer staple.

Separates–boxy linen tops, military-style jackets and vests and cargo-esque shorts with tie-waists in neutrals, stayed closer to the brand’s heritage. The shoes, Belmont wood sandals, were all paired with socks (it’s still a thing) and looked mercifully easy to walk in.

The finale dresses were the stand outs. The bright water-color floral print maxi dresses in silk added some much needed color to the spring collection. Especially that last pink floral number on Hanne Gaby Odiele with delicate silver sequins around the neckline.

Take a look.
**All images from Banana Republic and WWD

Target’s Reissuing 34 GO International Dresses, Here Are Nine We Hope They Include

If you didn’t get your hands on one of the lust-worthy pieces from one of Target‘s blink-and-you-missed-it designer collaborations over the years, you might get a second chance. In celebration of Five Years of GO International®, Target is following in the footsteps of Betsey Johnson and Anna Sui by reissuing 34 dresses from the following 17 previously featured designers:

Luella Bartley, Tara Jarmon, Paul & Joe, Behnaz Sarafpour, Proenza Schouler, Libertine, Alice Temperley, Erin Fetherston, Jovovich-Hawk, Rogan, Richard Chai, Jonathan Saunders, Thakoon, Tracy Feith, Rodarte, Zac Posen and Tucker.

The collective will be available March 13, 2011 through April 10, 2011 at most Target stores and online at Target.com. We think this is an awesome idea, and great news for people who missed out the first time around. Click through from some of our favorite dresses from the past five years. We hope Target agrees with us!

Last Night’s Parties: Elle Turns 25, Longchamp Loves Love, and Models Worship the Whitney

Last night felt like Fashion Month. There were about 14 parties going on. Luckily we managed to make it to a few.

First up, Elle‘s 25th Anniversary bash at MoMA. Loads of designers–from Diane von Furstenberg to Richard Chai to Christian Siriano–and Elle staffers packed the beautiful atrium. The rest of the guest list was the only sign that Elle might be suffering a bit of a quarterlife crisis. Some of the more A-list names expected, like Alecia Keys, didn’t show, and, inexplicably, Lennox Lewis was there (though that’s mostly because most of the A-listers turned out for Elle’s “Women in Hollywood” event held in LA last week). Padma Lakshmi handily won best dressed in a floor length backless black and gold embroidered gown by Naeem Khan. And fashion party musician du jour, Estelle, performed, but the acoustics in the atrium were sadly not doing her any favors.

Then it was off to Love‘s bash with Longchamp celebrating the French handbag brand’s new uptown store. We spied our idol Katie Grand looking fabulous in a white, furry dress topped with an anorak. There were lovely lavender candy champagne cocktails and lots to look at–particularly Love‘s gorgeous new take on Longchamp’s classic satchel. Oh, Palermo and Thurman were there, too.

After one too many glasses of champagne and a ten block walk uptown, we arrived at the Whitney‘s Studio Party. With Lily Donaldson chairing the party, it was all about models. We spotted Sasha, Stam–and of course Lily–looking even better than they do on the runway.

Primark on top, Bergdorf’s integrated approach, Last Call at Neiman Marcus, Coach profits up, Sewing futures

Primark Fall 2010 Lookbook | Source: Hey Crazy

Primark is the best summer seller (Independent)

“Love it or loathe it, you can’t avoid it – at least not anymore. As we report… Primark became Britain’s biggest clothes retailer by sales volumes over the summer. That is a position that has traditionally been occupied by Marks and Spencer.”

How Bergdorf Goodman understands the new luxury purchase funnel (Luxury Daily)

“Upscale department store Bergdorf Goodman has adjusted to consumer fragmentation across communication channels by tightly integrating its print, direct mail, online and mobile strategies to push its fall 2010 collections.”

Neiman Marcus gives fashion bargain hunters a final shot (Internet Retailer)

“Known as Last Call, the brand, which Neiman Marcus launched online and with a retail… features [goods] that were previously sold in Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores, at discounts of 30% to 65%.”

Coach’s Profit Increases 34%, Beating Analysts’ Estimates (Bloomberg)

“Chief Executive Officer Lew Frankfort cited ‘Resiliency’ in handbags and accessories in North America for the gains… The company also cut average prices to spur spending.”

Britain’s prisoners sew their way to a better future (Independent)

“The thought of finding hardened criminals bent industriously over their embroidery, counting stitches and arguing over patchwork might seem far-fetched, but… this unlikely scenario is not only a reality, but a highlight of their daily prison life.”

Part IV: Lessons from the First Month

FashionStake Screenshot | Source: FashionStake

The FashionStake Diaries is a four-part series that gives BoF readers a behind the scenes look at the crucial first months of a crowdfunding fashion startup, seen through the eyes of its founders. Today, in the final diary entry, they reflect on the crucial first weeks following launch: what worked, what did not, lessons learned and plans for the future.

NEW YORK, United States —On the day of “go live” for any startup, planning is quickly overtaken by the reality of operational work. For us, September 1st was a memorable launch day. Months of pre-launch strategising, building, debating and recruiting was replaced with the business of actually running the company: answering customer calls, shipping our first items and managing our online merchandising.

We’d like to share our first month in business with you and, since this is our final post in the FashionStake Diaries, thank you for reading and commenting on our entries.

How we launched

After a sleepless night, we launched the website at 9am on September 1st. All of us huddled around our Lead Developer’s laptop and held our collective breath as he turned on the site. The actual launch went pretty smoothly. As we slowly migrated back to our own desks, the day’s first press coverage and social sharing started to drive thousands of hits to the site. Our server actually crashed a few times during the morning. Heart stopping, but memorable moments!

By the afternoon we were busy with actually operating the company. That was the biggest surprise for us: just how quickly the team had to shift modes from planning to doing. Although the launch date had been on the horizon for months, transitioning to the everyday tasks of answering the phone and checking up on the warehouse was an initial shock to many of us too. We also learned that you need to improvise, no matter how well-planned you think your business is.

Funding Lauren Merkin and Nicholas K

Early October was an exhilarating time for us. Lauren Merkin and Nicholas K hit their funding targets of $10,000 and $50,000, respectively, and their collections went into production. The secret to hitting the targets? A genuine co-marketing effort between the designers and FashionStake. Indeed, both these designers marketed their collections to their own existing customers and received a solid response. The folks at Nicholas K also decided to debut their FashionStake collection on the New York Fashion Week runway, which generated tons of interest.

But as expected, there were a few designers who did not meet their targets within the predefined timeframe. We realised that we need to make sure it’s as easy as possible for designers to tell their existing fans about their FashionStake collections through email, social networks and selected offline channels.

Zooming in

A few days after launching, we noticed that many of our customers were pre-ordering pieces. In fact, when we took a look at the data from September, we realized that over 70 percent of our transaction value was actually coming from pre-ordered items. We also observed that many customers were pre-ordering without purchasing the standard $50 stake. We concluded that our customer behaviour was moving us away from the original premise of consumers investing in designers and towards a model where consumers, in essence, fund collections by pre-ordering pieces.

Pre-ordering is a great way to support designers. This way, designers only produce what consumers order (supply is in tune with demand) and can use the revenue they collect to fund production and remain cash flow positive.

Assuming lead times from production to final delivery can be kept within a reasonable timeframe, pre-ordering is a great way to eliminate inventory costs in the supply chain and offer genuine value to customers. It’s also a way for the public to access “sneak previews” of upcoming merchandise, another win-win for designers (who want to generate demand) and consumers (who want early access to their favourite designers).

After careful analysis, we decided to ‘zoom in’ on this aspect of our business and focus on optimising the pre-order experience, since that’s what our customers were doing anyway.

On reflection, our ability to course-correct and listen to exactly what our customers and our internal data were telling us was crucial. What’s more, this process never stops. Doing a startup is iterative and we think it’s important that we remain flexible enough to continually evolve and solve our customers’ changing needs.

Three e-commerce lessons

Amongst the mayhem of the first month, three e-commerce-specific lessons also stood out:

1. Consumers want “pace” online. It’s no use having only a handful of designers on the website for an extended period of time. Consumers made it clear that they wanted a larger cast of designers coming in and out of the website more frequently. We listened to this feedback and are now offering daily trunk shows, with several new designers a week.

2. Emails are important. The biggest mistake we made was overlooking the value of our email database as a driver of traffic to our website. Our problem was that we didn’t really promote our email signup form anywhere on our website, which meant that we weren’t able to open a dialogue with first time visitors to the site.

3. Make things sharable. The power of people’s social graphs is huge and increasing. We’ve seen the significant impact of Facebook sharing and other means of customers referring their friends in our traffic logs. We’re spending a lot of time at the moment making more of our content instantly shareable, with clear incentives for people to refer friends to FashionStake. A fashion democracy only works with a critical mass of people!

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading The FashionStake diaries and look forward to seeing you on FashionStake soon.

Vivian Weng and Daniel Gulati are co-founders of FashionStake, a new online marketplace for fashion that launched September 1, 2010.

Tomorrow’s Events and Sales: 60 Percent Off at Bonpoint; Discounts at Kidrobot

EVENTS

• Eyebeam and Fever Creative's David Jimison are teaming up on a ten-week teen workshop called Build Your Own Music-Making Clothing Line, where high-schoolers will create their very own fashion item that also doubles as a musical instrument. Through 1/27. Apply here.

SALES

STARTING TOMORROW

• Children's clothing sizes newborn to preteen are up to 60 percent off at the Bonpoint sample sale. Through 10/29. 123 W. 18th St., nr. Sixth Ave., fifth fl.; Th (8–7), F (8–3).

ENDING TOMORROW

• Sleepwear is up to 50 percent off at the Olivia Feldman lingerie and pajama sale. 40 E. 34th St., nr. Madison Ave., Ste. 417 (212-213-1822); W–Th (11–5).

• The leather heart key chain in olive is $9 (originally $55) and the black crocodile stamped-leather small handbag is $229 (originally $595) at the Furla stock sale. 261 W. 36th St., nr. Seventh Ave.; T (10–7), W (11–7), Th (10–6).

• Shop discount furs at Adrienne Landau’s fall sample sale. 518 Eighth Ave., nr. 35th St., 21st fl. (212-920-1211); M–Th (10–6).

• Gowns and cocktail dresses from Donald Deal, Pamella Roland, Melinda Eng, Lela Rose, Marc Bouwer, and more start at $49 at this designer eveningwear sale. 518 Eighth Ave., nr. 35th St., 21st fl. (212-920-1211); M–Th (10–6).

• Select hoodies, jackets, tees, hats, and more are up to 25 percent off at the Kidrobot store. The sale continues online at kidrobot.com from 10/26 to 10/30, where hoodies and sweaters are $30 and tees and hats are $15. 118 Prince St., nr. Greene St. (212-966-6688); S–W (11–8).

This Is What Kate Moss Reads

The novel Geek Love, which she just put on a list of things she loves. Amazon's description reads: 'A wild, often horrifying, novel about freaks, geeks and other aberrancies of the human condition who travel together (a whole family of them) as a circus. It's a solipsistic funhouse world that makes 'normal' people seem bland and pitiful.' Hmmm. We've always wondered if that's what her yacht trips with Sir Philip Green et al. are like. [Another, Style File/Style]

Selita Ebanks Explains Why She’s Never Appeared in Vogue [Updated]

Selita Ebanks shot her first cover for Teen Vogue with two other girls when she was 17. At that time, she tells MTV, she knew nothing about fashion, but understood that she was hot and got checks in the mail for letting people photograph her. After she shot the cover, her agency told her she had to go meet with the Vogue editor. So after school on Staten Island, she boarded the ferry to head into the city — the same day as a huge snowstorm. "What I’m wearing is the issue," Ebanks explains. "I had on Timberland boots, I had on corduroy, high-water, flooded beige pants with a button down plaid shirt. I was a tomboy!"

She continues:

"I remember walking in — Trudy from Vogue at the time ... looks at me and she’s like startled. And I didn’t understand why. I was like, 'What up? Who am I here to meet?' She says, 'Take off your jacket, take off your jacket, it’ll be fine, it’ll be fine — be yourself.' And I walk into the office, I got maybe two steps into the room, and I look and it's amazing Ms. Anna Wintour. She goes [makes a dismissive wave] and dismisses me. And my cover did not come out to say the least and I have never shot Vogue magazine!'

Ebanks said this taught her a valuable lesson about doing her research before meetings. However, we can all learn a valuable lesson for that day each of us comes face to face with Anna Wintour. And that is, a blizzard won't stop it, and that blizzard had better not have any effect on your personal chicness (she did this to Karlie Kloss, don't forget). The easiest way around this may not be furry boots, which are surprisingly 'in' this season, but just scheduling those appointments in the spring.

'Runaway' Star Selita Ebanks Recalls Her Vogue Rejection [MTV]

Update: A Teen Vogue spokeswoman tells us that Ebanks 'never shot a cover' with the magazine.

Kelly Cutrone Has a New MTV Show and Syndicated Daytime Show in the Works

The cancellation of The City seems to have opened up lots of new opportunities for some of the principals — at least those with real fashion careers. We caught up with a few of those at Elle’s 25th-anniversary celebration at MoMA last night.



Kelly Cutrone says her other show, Kell on Earth, also will not be returning for a second season, but that she’s developing yet another show for MTV. “I’m not doing reality TV anymore. I’m done,” Cutrone said, before going on to confuse us: “I’m doing a television show that I’m on that’s not scripted, but it’s not based on me running around and sharing my personal life in my office and in my home.” So, what’s a TV show that’s not scripted and not reality? “I don’t know. I think it’ll be me more working with young people who want to be in these different industries, so it might be something like, you know, you look like a fashionista but you’re not, you look like a skate dude but you’re not, you look like a hotshot entrepreneur but you’re not, maybe you should walk the walk. So it’s, like, part Great Santini, part fairy godmother.” She expects to have the pilot done in January, and then see what happens as far as time slots.

But of course, one show is not enough to contain Cutrone’s personality; she says she also has a “syndicated daytime regular big thing” in the works. Is she going to be the next Oprah? This is a big jump, she says, crediting the publication of her book If You Have to Cry Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You for the opportunity. “The book really helped. There were a lot of good layers that came together, and I’m trying to make the most of it for me, my family, and my business.”



Elle creative director Joe Zee, meanwhile, told us some more about his upcoming Sundance Channel show, in which he advises floundering up-and-coming fashion designers. “It is about young designers who are at a make-or-break point in their career and potentially about to lose their business, and I come in and help them,” he explained. “You know, I’m not God, all I can do is lend my experience and my expertise in helping them change their business around, whether it’s design, whether it’s marketing, whether it’s business, and hopefully I can do that in the short journey that we have together.”



Zee says that so far he is concentrating on young, less-established designers, but perhaps in the future he’ll take on better-known fashion brands that are on shaky ground. But he says his mission is not to merely solve financial problems. “This is a bigger-picture fundamental problem that we want to help this entire generation. It’s not just money — is it design or marketing? It’s understanding the 360 of what the fashion industry is about.”



Cutrone, Zee, and Elle editor Robbie Myers all claimed to be sad about The City’s demise. Myers says this isn't necessarily the end of Elle's reality-television career (which began years ago with Project Runway). “I would certainly consider having Elle participate in another [reality show.] If it’s the right thing, yes.”



One thing we all missed seeing on the show was the Elle office’s bedbug infestation! Zee said that he was out for most of the month of August, so he wasn’t there personally, but that it was as comical as it sounds: “These are fashion girls, they’re horrified when there’s a spider.”

Reader Look Book: What Do You Save for a Rainy Day?

This week's Reader Look Book was supposed to be all about the boots, but we got distracted by Cut reader Kittycotten's amazing furry hat, so we're bending the rules a bit. Because how could we not? Kittycotten describes her silver-hued headpiece as 'kind of a hybrid between a turban and big furry Russian winter cap,' which she's been wearing around nonstop despite the balmy temperatures. Best of all, she got it for $9 ($9!) at a thrift shop. She completes the look with bookish glasses, a plaid trapeze top, and what appear to be gray cotton over-the-knee socks.

Next week: It's drizzly in New York today. What do you wear to cheer yourself up in dismal weather? Send us your best rainy-day looks.

Need more explicit instruction on how to use the tool? Go here.

Taylor Momsen Looks Just About Ready for Halloween

She went to an event her band was performing at last night barely clothed, with freaky makeup on, which is what Halloween is all about for the young women of this nation. The real question is, what will Taylor wear home for Christmas?

Target Is Reviving Designs From Their Best Designer Collections

A look from the Rodarte for Target collection.

Why bother with new ideas when you've already had so many good ones? Out with the new, in with the old, we say. While H&M readies to launch their Lanvin line, Target just had the brilliant new old idea to sell some of the top items from previous collections they've done with top designers. Beginning March 13, 34 dresses from seventeen past collections will go on sale through April 10 at "most" Target stores and Target.com, the chain announced today. The pieces will come from the past Target collections of Luella Bartley, Tara Jarmon, Paul & Joe, Behnaz Sarafpour, Proenza Schouler, Libertine, Alice Temperley, Erin Fetherston, Jovovich-Hawk, Rogan, Richard Chai, Jonathan Saunders, Thakoon, Tracy Feith, Rodarte, Zac Posen, and Tucker.

Vogue Party Stormed by Firefighters

Vogue hosted an event last night for emerging London designers at a swanky restaurant in the Flatiron district, and it was all glass-clinking and camera flashes until the NYFD came clomping in to extinguish a fire. The fire just so happened to be in the fireplace, but hey, flames are flames. The crowd, which included co-hosts Ed Westwick and Georgia May Jagger as well as Chanel Iman, Jason Wu, and Joseph Altuzarra, was reportedly unperturbed. [WWD]

Lara Stone Lands Another Beauty Campaign; Bond No. 9’s Bowery Perfume

FRAGRANCE

• Lara Stone stars in the new ads for DKNY’s Be Delicious fragrance. She's landed quite a few beauty campaigns this season, which can only mean ... homegirl must be rolling in it! [Design Scene]

• Bond No. 9, which makes scents inspired by New York City neighborhoods, has just made a Bowery-inspired juice, which doesn't smell like pee, but instead recalls "the sweet scent of skid row transitioning to ultra-modernity." It's "for contrarians of all genders, an enticing anti-perfume, composed of near dissonant florals, citruses and herbs." [Racked NY]

HOW-TO

• Learn in a video demonstration how to get ombré hair. Or skip that and just grow your roots out. Hair is so difficult. [BellaSugar]

MAKEUP

• A new study finds that the average British woman spends about five days per year in front of the mirror. Oh we can probably top that. [Daily Mail UK]

• Ellis Faas just released a line of clickable eye-shadow pens in holographic colors. The makeup looks wet and iridescent but is designed to feel like powder. [Beauty Counter/Style]

Rosario Dawson Loves a Good Shoulder Pouf

Rosario Dawson attended the L.A. premiere of her new movie Unstoppable last night, where she appeared to be leaning to the side of her rather large shoulder ornament. Maybe the weight of it offset her balance a little, or she was just resting her head on the giant pillowy ball of fabric.

What do you think of her aggressively poufed shoulder?

Kate Moss Models Her Last Topshop Line in Still Photos

It's that familiar time of year in which new black-and-white images of Kate Moss doing that thing she does so well — modeling — in her new Topshop collection emerge! These, from her fourteenth collection for the brand, are extra-special because this is Moss's last full-fledged collection for the chain, though various reports haven't entirely ruled out the possibility of her doing more stuff for them in the future. The clothes look typical of what she's been doing for the label over the years: a little boho, a little weird, and a little trendy, with just the right amount of stuff hanging off that could catch on any errant object that brushes up against them, but not so much that hugging someone with sequins would completely ruin the things.

Kate Moss Repurposes A Bath Mat For Her Final Topshop Collection [Jezebel]