The booth & designer that blew our mind was Veritas Fashion.  We got a chance to speak with the designer and his wife about the thought process behind the designs, which was extremely unique.  The designer is originally an artist/painter and told us that every clothing design comes from an original art piece or design of his.  Many of the unique canvases were displayed around their booth as well.  Their mission statement and goal in this process is stated on their Live Veritas website:

The Veritas Project is created to support humanitarian efforts across the globe. At the heart of Veritas is a deep burning passion for culture and community. We believe that in every form of art there is healing for the soul. Veritas gives 20% of our profit to support a number of humanitarian causes. For more information on who Veritas supports please visit the organizations below or email info@liveveritas.com.

Another booth that really caught our eye was the Jedidiah table that housed many designs dedicated to the crisis in Japan called their Help Heal Japan Collection (shop here)

With each shirt priced at $20, $15 goes directly to World Vision to further their efforts in Japan.

Within 48 hours of the earth quake and massive tsunami, World Vision was on the ground in Sendai identifying priority needs. The organization is providing blankets, bottled water and other life essentials to the communities most affected by this disaster.

Money raised from our Japan series will fund the distribution of relief supplies and building child-friendly spaces that provide support and structure to affected children. To read more about their efforts, check out their website.

The San Diego event at Horton Plaza was pulled off with great success and we loved being able to browse the incredible booths and check out the inspiring jewelry designs.

There are many things you will see at an international Music Festival, and a smorgasbord of style is definitely one of them.  While all may not be my style, I definitely have respect and admiration for the various styles displayed on each and every attendee.

One of my favorites was this girls combination of girly/biker chick in her outfit.  The to-die black lace shorts and biker boots stole my heart to be completely honest.

Here we have more typical raver attire with very minimal coverage and extremely bright colors mixed with metallics.   Many kids preparing for music festivals or raves will make American Apparel their first stop because of their neon-bold-tight-simple clothing that can easily be mixed and matched with anything already in your wardrobe.

Tigerblood must be running through this girls veins, as well as a huge dose of confidence.  I really admired her DIY tiger wrap/jacket and although the metallic gold booty-shorts would be a bit much for us, I give her props for sporting this look!  (Also loving her boy’s American pride displayed on his board shorts)

Here we have a typical raver-child decked out to the max.  From her neon pink furry boots, layered fishnets and mini-mini-skirt, to her neon speckled bag, fairy wings and fingerless gloves, this is the textbook ‘raver look’.  If you will be attending EDC this year (newly relocated to Las Vegas) I would take notes from this gal.

If I had to name this look, it would be the “Coachella Girl”.  Her look is head-to-toe very Indie which we are obsessed with—straw hat, rad scripted tattoo, understated Chanel purse, romper and boots.

February 22, 2011 – Los Angeles; THREAD Show, the multi-city shopping event promoting emerging designers and artists, is travelling to San Francisco, San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles and Seattle on the 2011 tour. At each show, THREAD will showcase 100 of the top independent designers in each market, as well as complementary music, art, food and entertainment from locals. In 2011, attendees can expect new interactive spaces with the additions of a DIY Lounge, Pop-Up Nail Salon, Live Style Series, THREAD Well Lounge and a Man Cave complimentary with entrance to the event.

“By allowing shoppers to skip the third-party retailer, THREAD gives trend-setters an opportunity to meet the designers face-to-face, feed the local economy, be kind to the environment and ensure products are locally-made and ethically produced,” explains THREAD Show spokesperson, Danielle Gano. “This one-on-one connection also allows designers to get direct feedback from their consumers and lifts the veil for consumers to know exactly where their products come from.”

For eight years, THREAD Show has encouraged cities across the country to shop local by presenting a curated showcase of the most skilled and creative designers in each market. In addition to shopping prices lower than retail from the top independent designers, attendees will enjoy the live music, seasonal trend showcases, a pop-up local art gallery, photo booths, Style Lounge, live screen printing and giveaways all day. Additionally, 2011 will introduce a DIY Lounge with make-your-own fashion designs and accessories, a Pop-Up Nail Salon with complimentary manicures all day, a blogger-curated Live Style Series, a THREAD Wellness Lounge featuring massages and holistic living tips and products and a Man Cave with beer, magazines, darts and entertainment for male shoppers.

In 2011, THREAD Show is also announcing a new Premium Ticket, available to the first 300 at the door. Serial shoppers will be granted entry one hour prior to general admission. The shopper who prefers wide open isles and plenty of room to browse will be able to enjoy first access to the collections. This limited availability ticket also comes with a gift bag packed with THREAD Show swag and a complimentary cocktail. The preview hour for each show will be from 11 a.m. to noon. Premium Tickets will be available for $25. Doors open to general admission from noon to 6 p.m. General admission tickets will be available for $5 if attendees pre-register up to 24 hours prior to the show at www.threadshow.com. $10 tickets will be available at the door.

THREAD Show’s 2011 line-up consists of:

• San Diego: Sunday, April 3, 2011 - Horton Event Space
• San Francisco: Sunday, April 10, 2011 - Metreon Shopping Center
• Costa Mesa: Sunday, May 15, 2011 – THE LAB
• Los Angeles: Sunday, June 12, 2011 – The Cooper Design Space
• Costa Mesa: Sunday, October 9, 2011 – THE LAB
• Seattle: Sunday, October 23, 2011 – Fisher Pavilion Seattle Center
• Los Angeles: Sunday, November 13, 2011 - The Cooper Design Space
• San Francisco: Sunday, November 20, 2011 - Metreon Shopping Center
• San Diego: Sunday, December 4, 2011 - Horton Event Space

Each show is held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the 11 a.m. to noon hour reserved for Premium Ticket holders. General admission is open from noon to 6 p.m. Attendance is $10 in all cities – or $5 if you RSVP on the THREAD website or bring a bag of clothes to donate to a local charity in each city. Registration is now open for all cities and interested designers are invited to apply here. For regular updates, to visit the THREAD blog, RSVP to a show or subscribe to the email newsletter, please visit www.threadshow.com.

About THREAD Show   //   Good Style. Good Value. Good Karma.
THREAD Show is a travelling juried showcase of the best independent fashion and home designers on the West Coast, and the music and art that rock their world. This dynamic one-day retail environment has showcased more than 7,000 emerging designers since its inception in 2003.  THREAD allows consumers a unique opportunity to support their local economy, reduce their carbon footprint and discover emerging designers while scoring deals and purchasing one-of-a-kind wares in a fun and unique setting. For more information, visit www.threadshow.com.

The DJ duo, DigitaLife, is very quickly skyrocketing to the top of the Southern California Electro-Dance-Music scene and on New Years Eve performed at Epic (presented by EventVibe) in Del Mar, California on the same stage as Porter Robinson, Afrojack and many more.  The energy and style these two boys bring to the stage is unlike any DJ/producers I have seen–definitely two to look out for this year!  After their insane set, the two changed into white v-neck tee’s designed specially for the event by kSquared and the outpour of support and love for the designs was humbling.  These shirts will now be available for purchase through the Online Store for a limited time!  I am so grateful for these up-and-coming superstars and their support and exposure they have given kSquared!  Be sure to check out their weekly podcast here: DigitaLife Podcast

DigitaLife by kSquared

Click here to access the online store!

The shirts are poly-blend deep v-neck shirts by H&M with headphones hand silk-screened around the front with cord spiraling down into cursive letters forming ‘DigitaLife’ across the chest.

The allure of a top fashion name and the reach of a global chain: the Paris couturier Lanvin this week rolls out a line for H&M in the latest of a string of holiday-season flings between high fashion and high street.  Fashionista hordes camped out this morning at the Swedish retailer as Lanvin’s collection was released on in 200 stores worldwide today, after a pre-launch Saturday in the United States and Canada.

Sofia Coppola and Andie MacDowell lent star power as Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz staged a preview catwalk show Thursday in New York of the limited-edition line, first revealed in an online film and dedicated website.  For the fashion consultant Jean-Jacques Picart, operations like this one are “in step with the times.”

Co-branding operations between designers and budget fashion outlets reach back over a few decades. In the early 1990s, Azzedine Alaia broke ground with a collection for Tati, Paris’ biggest discount store. Later Yves Saint Laurent designed a trouser suit for the French mail-order catalogue La Redoute in 1996.

H&M first experimented with the formula in 2004, with a tie-up with Karl Lagerfeld that lifted monthly sales by a quarter, and the world’s third-largest fashion group has not looked back since.  Since then it has hooked up with the likes of Stella McCartney, Viktor and Rolf, Comme des Garcons, Jimmy Choo and Sonia Rykiel — on top of one-off lines with style icons Kylie Minogue or Madonna.  The chain says it wants to “move beyond its core concept of quality fashion at the best price, to make so-called ‘luxury’ fashion available to the greatest number.”  And so far, H&M says the customer response has been “euphoric” — though it will not release detailed sales figures.

Working with designers is also a way for the chain to shed the image of fashion copycat, positioning itself instead as a partner of high fashion.  Elbaz says he was initially reluctant to design for a retailer, but was “intrigued” by the idea that H&M could adapt to the codes of the luxury world.  But for couturiers, whose exclusive brands are a vital asset, there is more danger involved in associating itself with the high-street, says Picart.  For Picart, high-street tie-ups make most sense for diverse luxury brands that sell everything from couture clothes to lipstick — like Lanvin which is betting on strong Christmas perfume sales this year.  ”If you don’t have any spin-off products to sell there isn’t much point,” he said.

“For sure, this is going to introduce a new category of women, who neither buy Elle nor Vogue, to the work of Alber Elbaz. It can be a great booster in terms of popularity.  But the people buying Lanvin at H&M are not going to buy regular Lanvin three months from now. They can’t afford it. The speculation is all on the perfume sales.”  From the consumer’s viewpoint, however, the benefit is clear: a chance to sample a designer label for a tiny fraction of the cost.

Lanvin made a splash at Paris Fashion Week this October, with long pleated skirts that swirled and spun around body-hugging tops — but a humble jersey draped dress from its website will set you back a tidy 1,225 dollars apiece.  With H&M, Elbaz designed cocktail dresses with rose-patterning or yellow frills and sharp-tailored black or purple party frock numbers, with a democratic price tag of 99 to 149 euros (149 to 199 dollars).

Looking past the hype, is all this changing the face of fashion?  In terms of bringing affordable style to the masses, Picart suggests Japanese giant Uniqlo’s decision to hire top designer Jil Sander full-time carries more weight than one-off tie-ups.  ”It’s a marriage compared to a fling,” he said. “But working with a top designer, meeting their standards on a daily basis, is a difficult exercise — for any large industrial group.”

FIDM San Diego

Coming to the realization that I have completed my first year at FIDM is surreal.  It has been more work than I have ever put into anything as well as the most fun I have ever had in school.  I started a running list of advice I wish I would have known before the school year ended.  They may sound silly, but I swear to you every piece of advice is 100% true:

1. Invest in a Costco size pack of glue sticks–you will use each and every one of them

2. Do not skimp on fabric swatches–if you can afford to, go out to a fabric store and buy various remnants of fabric–you will need swatches of every sort of fabric for all your classes

3. Do. Not. Procrastinate. Try getting homework started the day you get it, because it will pile up so fast

4. Take advantage of all the labs possible for all your classes.  They may not seem necessary, but often you will get ‘insider’ tips from the teachers as well as extra credit.  It will put you on the teachers very good side and give you an advantage if your grade is able to be ’rounded up’ at the end of the quarter

I have honestly learned more this year than I have in school my entire life.  It has been such an enriching and enlightening experience that I am so fortunate and grateful to have had the opportunity.

I have to thank Kelly Cutrone and Twitter for introducing me to Alternative Apparel and Greg Alterman.  Kelly sent out a tweet that Greg Alterman, the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Alternative, had just joined Twitter and that he would be doing a contest that the first 25 people to tell him how much they love Alternative would get one piece of Alternative sent to their house.  Being a skeptic but also having complete trust in anything Kelly Cutrone says, I quickly sent out a short message (under 160 characters) to @GregAlterman and after pestering Greg (and surprisingly getting replies back everytime!) I receive the coveted piece–a simple yet perfect black long sleeve wrap that literally goes with everything.  That was the gateway drug.

I am officially hooked on Alternative, and wouldn’t talk this highly of a brand that wasn’t beyond fabulous.  The price point is from $12-$75 for shirts, dresses, vests, fleece, tanks, leggings, pants and shorts but most around $30 which is beyond reasonable for the quality of the fabrics.

April 29, 2010- San Diego, California. Hoards of San Diego Fashionistas thirsty to get their ‘shop on’ will gather at the ultra hip Hard Rock Hotel’s FLOAT Rooftop Lounge located in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter on April 29^th.

Trendy springtime fashions will take center stage as various top design labels will sell at unbelievable 30-80% off retail prices. Such labels sold will be Dior, Prada, D&G, Chanel, Gucci and Norma Kamali, just to name a few. In addition, numerous local boutiques, up & coming designers, and online stores will be busy selling their spring selections. San Diego Fashionistas will experience an unforgettable evening filled with shopping, sipping on complimentary PaQui Tequila cocktails, complimentary spa services, while grooving to live entertainment. Shoppers will be right in the epicenter of San Diego’s premier nightlife and Hard Rock venue, satisfying urges for labels and liquor. One of our sponsors, Haute Magazine, will be filming the event, so ladies – put on your lipstick!

This event is designed for the fashion-forward women of San Diego longing for a ladies night out. Shoppers who attend this event with an advanced ticket purchase (2 for $20) will receive our fabulous Sassy City Chicks Gift Bag with a bevy of beauty products and other trendy goodies valued at over $30. “We wanted to give the San Diego ladies a night they will remember,” says President and Founder of Sassy City Chicks, Isela Blair. “Hard Rock Hotel provides a great backdrop for Spring shopping, sipping on signature cocktails, and receiving the ultimate in spa services!”

WHO: The Sassy City Chicks San Diego Fashion Bash

WHAT: Designer clothing, handbags and jewelry at discount prices including top designers like: Dior, Prada, D&G, Gucci, Norma Kamali, Juicy Couture, Ella Moss, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Betsey Johnson. Event sponsored by paQui Tequila, Fredrick’s of Hollywood & a DJ spinning live.

WHEN: Thursday, April 29, 2010, 5-10 pm

WHERE:   Hard Rock Hotel

Float Rooftop Lounge

207 5^th Avenue,

San Diego, Ca 92101

About Sassy City Chicks

Sassy City Chicks have been producing sample sales for over 9 years in Southern California. SCC can be found at the trendiest venues throughout Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego and Miami throughout the year. Sassy City Chicks combines the hottest trends at the lowest possible prices, and are known for having sponsored cocktails, live entertainment and spa services during the event for every show – there is something for every Fashionista! For tickets and more information, please visit Sassy City Chicks or call 310-318-1731.

FIDM LA Campus

You know you go to FIDM when everyday is a fashion show for the students.

You know you go to FIDM when your teachers cell phone rings more then yours & 90% of the time come to class later then you.

You know you go to FIDM when you dont even bother checking out the guys that pass you by because you already assume they’re gay.

You know you go to FIDM when the security guys think they’re FBI agents!!! (SO TRUE).

You know you go to FIDM when everyother girl has a Louis Vuitton or Chanel.

You know you go to FIDM when People who don’t go to FIDM ask you about the show “THE HILLS” or about L.C and you have nothing but negative comments about her and the show.

You know you go to FIDM when you’ve had or love the Wraps from FIDM cafe.

You Know you go to FIDM when you’ve gone 24 hours without sleep because you were sewing.

You know you go to FIDM when all the USC guys love you because you go to FIDM.

You know you go to FIDM when you study in the annex and sit there the whole time waiting for a
computer.

You know you go to FIDM when you’re not bothered by camera crews running around all over campus.

You know you go to FIDM when theres a million new quarter girls who swear they are destined to be in fashion because they wear the latest trends and “just totally love clothes” and end up disappearing a few weeks later …

You know you go to FIDM when half your class has dropped out.

You know you go to FIDM when there is a cat fight to get into the elevators.

You know you go to FIDM when you get checked out more from girls (not sexually) than you do guys on the street while on your way to FIDM.

Feel free to comment and add any more!

xoxo k²

@kSquaredFashion