Uggs- Dead or Alive

I'm no longer an Ebay virgin! Just made another purchase this morning at 6 am in my PJ's - a pair of black crochet tall Ugg boots in size 9 (sold out everywhere!) People either love or hate Uggs, but I'm on the love side for sure. Maybe if I didn't live in CA, I'd think otherwise. But Uggs are actually very appropriate if you live near the beach. When the temperature drops to 60 degrees here in Santa Monica, (I know, my blood has really thinned since moving here from NYC!) I have to put the Havaianas on the shelf and crack out my Uggs. They're the perfect beach shoe in the Winter and when your wardrobe consists mainly of jeans like mine, they're the ideal throw on shoe sans socks. Love the way they look on Nicole Richie scrunched over her jeans!

Just when you think the Ugg phenomenon is over, they reinvent themselves and introduce some great new silhouettes. I've been eying their crochet boots since last Fall and finally decided to take the plunge and upgrade my 3-year-old Sand shorties. But thanks Oprah, now these puppies are almost impossible to find since she featured them on her show as one of her favorite things. Should have bought them last year when nobody cared! Having large feet has always been a disadvantage for me in shoe shopping. I'm used to paying the big bucks for my size 10 1/2 feet, which means no cheap shoes for me - J.Crew, Nine West, or any shoe under $200 for that matter either won't fit or come in my size. That's why my closet if full of $300 Sigerson Morisson shoes (thank you for making size 10 1/2's!)

Anyways, I looked high and low online for a size 9 (they run big so I'm actually a size 9- gee my feet feel so petite!), but no luck, sold out everywhere. The only place I could find them was on Ebay where most NIB (new in box) go for close to $200. I bid on four different Uggs and continued to lose. I told myself my limit was under $200, closer to $150 would be the max I'd pay (they regularly retail for $120). But every time I kept getting outbid, mainly because I have a life and I'm not glued to my computer checking the bid status every 5 minutes. But alas, after 3 days of frustration I was determined to get a pair and to win!! So this morning I had my husband wake me at 6 am so I could get in on the last 10 minutes of bidding for a pair of Uggs that were listed at $148. So I bid $150, then $155, and down to the last 2 minutes some ****hole outbid me again. At this point my adrenaline is rushing and I'm getting really pissed. So I bid $165, then $172, and finally at the last 2 seconds I bid $175 and won! Yippee! But after the fact, I'm a little bummed I went over my $150 personal budget. I guess you could say I let the gambling get the better of me! But really if I break it down, I got a deal since my time is $$$$ and I don't have time to schlep around looking for a scarce size 9 boots. And now I'll have a new pair of must-have black crochet tall Uggs under the tree this Christmas and my toes will be extra cozy for years to come.

Uggs- Dead or Alive

I'm no longer an Ebay virgin! Just made another purchase this morning at 6 am in my PJ's - a pair of black crochet tall Ugg boots in size 9 (sold out everywhere!) People either love or hate Uggs, but I'm on the love side for sure. Maybe if I didn't live in CA, I'd think otherwise. But Uggs are actually very appropriate if you live near the beach. When the temperature drops to 60 degrees here in Santa Monica, (I know, my blood has really thinned since moving here from NYC!) I have to put the Havaianas on the shelf and crack out my Uggs. They're the perfect beach shoe in the Winter and when your wardrobe consists mainly of jeans like mine, they're the ideal throw on shoe sans socks. Love the way they look on Nicole Richie scrunched over her jeans!

Just when you think the Ugg phenomenon is over, they reinvent themselves and introduce some great new silhouettes. I've been eying their crochet boots since last Fall and finally decided to take the plunge and upgrade my 3-year-old Sand shorties. But thanks Oprah, now these puppies are almost impossible to find since she featured them on her show as one of her favorite things. Should have bought them last year when nobody cared! Having large feet has always been a disadvantage for me in shoe shopping. I'm used to paying the big bucks for my size 10 1/2 feet, which means no cheap shoes for me - J.Crew, Nine West, or any shoe under $200 for that matter either won't fit or come in my size. That's why my closet if full of $300 Sigerson Morisson shoes (thank you for making size 10 1/2's!)

Anyways, I looked high and low online for a size 9 (they run big so I'm actually a size 9- gee my feet feel so petite!), but no luck, sold out everywhere. The only place I could find them was on Ebay where most NIB (new in box) go for close to $200. I bid on four different Uggs and continued to lose. I told myself my limit was under $200, closer to $150 would be the max I'd pay (they regularly retail for $120). But every time I kept getting outbid, mainly because I have a life and I'm not glued to my computer checking the bid status every 5 minutes. But alas, after 3 days of frustration I was determined to get a pair and to win!! So this morning I had my husband wake me at 6 am so I could get in on the last 10 minutes of bidding for a pair of Uggs that were listed at $148. So I bid $150, then $155, and down to the last 2 minutes some ****hole outbid me again. At this point my adrenaline is rushing and I'm getting really pissed. So I bid $165, then $172, and finally at the last 2 seconds I bid $175 and won! Yippee! But after the fact, I'm a little bummed I went over my $150 personal budget. I guess you could say I let the gambling get the better of me! But really if I break it down, I got a deal since my time is $$$$ and I don't have time to schlep around looking for a scarce size 9 boots. And now I'll have a new pair of must-have black crochet tall Uggs under the tree this Christmas and my toes will be extra cozy for years to come.

Behind the Scenes - 'Botanical' Photoshoot

It's hard to believe that it's a few weeks before Christmas and I'm shooting Summer already. And I have Fall 2008 in the works too. The fashion cycle is so crazy! By the time Summer rolls around and the goodies hit the selling floor, I've been looking at this stuff for over 6 months and I'm over it! But in order to get the goods designed, sold to buyers, and made in time to be on the floor for next Summer, I have to get an early start!

So this past Wednesday, I shot my little capsule collection for Summer, called 'Botanical' on my pal Judy. My new favorite place to shoot is at my girlfriend's house, a tropical escape behind the walls of crazy Montana Ave. It's the perfect backdrop for my botanical-inspired Summer collection of beach tunics, crochet bikinis, hoodies, and sexy knit dresses. The tropical colors were inspired by mother-nature, of course, with vibrant shades of Marigold oranges, Hibiscus pinks, Waterlily blues, and multi-color combinations named Tulip, Mimosa, and Eden (as in the Garden of Eden.) And thanks to my son's fabulously inspiring artwork (see above), he was the source behind my favorite spacedye color combination in the collection, Tulip. That kid's got a good sense of color at 3 1/2!

Now for silhouette, I've got some great pieces for those balmy Summer days...lots of tanks, halters, strappy dresses, and skin-baring numbers. Some faves are the Tulip vee with it's flattering vee neckline and stretchy cap sleeves (great to wear over a bikini); the Mimosa crochet beach tunic (a Summer staple); the Marigold gathered vee dress (a Summer take on the gathered vee from Spring); and the Hibiscus twisted tank dress with clever drawstring bubble hem. All the dresses are done with a touch of nylon for elasticity so they skim the body in just the right places, but still have great drape so nothing clings in all the wrong places! And just for fun, I love to throw in a crochet bikini. I never sell a lot of these bikinis and boylegs, but they're such fun to do and they look great on. So if you're into poolside lounging this will be for you. I actually think wearing the Marigold crochet bikini halter top under the Mimosa crochet beach tunic will look awfully smart with just a pair of Bermuda shorts this Summer. Who says you can't wear a cute bathing suit top under your shirt instead of a bra, especially when it peaks out from your top a bit - now that's chic!

Behind the Scenes - 'Botanical' Photoshoot

It's hard to believe that it's a few weeks before Christmas and I'm shooting Summer already. And I have Fall 2008 in the works too. The fashion cycle is so crazy! By the time Summer rolls around and the goodies hit the selling floor, I've been looking at this stuff for over 6 months and I'm over it! But in order to get the goods designed, sold to buyers, and made in time to be on the floor for next Summer, I have to get an early start!

So this past Wednesday, I shot my little capsule collection for Summer, called 'Botanical' on my pal Judy. My new favorite place to shoot is at my girlfriend's house, a tropical escape behind the walls of crazy Montana Ave. It's the perfect backdrop for my botanical-inspired Summer collection of beach tunics, crochet bikinis, hoodies, and sexy knit dresses. The tropical colors were inspired by mother-nature, of course, with vibrant shades of Marigold oranges, Hibiscus pinks, Waterlily blues, and multi-color combinations named Tulip, Mimosa, and Eden (as in the Garden of Eden.) And thanks to my son's fabulously inspiring artwork (see above), he was the source behind my favorite spacedye color combination in the collection, Tulip. That kid's got a good sense of color at 3 1/2!

Now for silhouette, I've got some great pieces for those balmy Summer days...lots of tanks, halters, strappy dresses, and skin-baring numbers. Some faves are the Tulip vee with it's flattering vee neckline and stretchy cap sleeves (great to wear over a bikini); the Mimosa crochet beach tunic (a Summer staple); the Marigold gathered vee dress (a Summer take on the gathered vee from Spring); and the Hibiscus twisted tank dress with clever drawstring bubble hem. All the dresses are done with a touch of nylon for elasticity so they skim the body in just the right places, but still have great drape so nothing clings in all the wrong places! And just for fun, I love to throw in a crochet bikini. I never sell a lot of these bikinis and boylegs, but they're such fun to do and they look great on. So if you're into poolside lounging this will be for you. I actually think wearing the Marigold crochet bikini halter top under the Mimosa crochet beach tunic will look awfully smart with just a pair of Bermuda shorts this Summer. Who says you can't wear a cute bathing suit top under your shirt instead of a bra, especially when it peaks out from your top a bit - now that's chic!

Mapuana - Color in Motion

Years ago I stumbled upon the most beautiful watercolor paintings by local Hawaiian artist, Mapuana Schneider, at Native Books and Beautiful Things. I bought a few reproductions for my New York boutique, Stacia New York, and have since moved them into my home because I love them so much. On my most recent visit to Hawaii, on my list of things to do and see, was to find more of her work and get some of those brilliant watercolors for my Santa Monica design studio. Mapuana's history is rather unique in that this renaissance woman discovered her talent as an artist rather late in life. She is an accomplished hula dancer and entertainer of the Islands, a hotelier for many years in Waikiki, an entrepreneur of Fine Wine Imports, and lastly her passion for hula has been translated into her brilliant watercolor paintings. I admire her fearless use of bold color, her fluidity of shape, and her simplistic yet beautiful interpretation of the female form. Her favorite subjects are landscapes and hula dancers, "I want you to hear the music," she says. And it's almost like you can hear the music or the sway of the hula dancer's hips in these paintings. Love, love, love her work and a huge inspiration for me as a designer, as I'm a big fan of color as you know. To view more of her vivid watercolors or to purchase some of her reprints, check out her web site, www.mapuanagallery.com.

Mapuana - Color in Motion

Years ago I stumbled upon the most beautiful watercolor paintings by local Hawaiian artist, Mapuana Schneider, at Native Books and Beautiful Things. I bought a few reproductions for my New York boutique, Stacia New York, and have since moved them into my home because I love them so much. On my most recent visit to Hawaii, on my list of things to do and see, was to find more of her work and get some of those brilliant watercolors for my Santa Monica design studio. Mapuana's history is rather unique in that this renaissance woman discovered her talent as an artist rather late in life. She is an accomplished hula dancer and entertainer of the Islands, a hotelier for many years in Waikiki, an entrepreneur of Fine Wine Imports, and lastly her passion for hula has been translated into her brilliant watercolor paintings. I admire her fearless use of bold color, her fluidity of shape, and her simplistic yet beautiful interpretation of the female form. Her favorite subjects are landscapes and hula dancers, "I want you to hear the music," she says. And it's almost like you can hear the music or the sway of the hula dancer's hips in these paintings. Love, love, love her work and a huge inspiration for me as a designer, as I'm a big fan of color as you know. To view more of her vivid watercolors or to purchase some of her reprints, check out her web site, www.mapuanagallery.com.

Field Trip - The Bishop Museum

It's been about 30 years that I've been either living or visiting Hawaii and I've never been to the Bishop Museum. It's the island's most famous and grandest of natural history museums, with archives dating back to the 1800's, the largest selection of Polynesian artifacts, and the most comprehensive collection of Hawaiiana. I can't believe my Brownies troop never took me here when I was 10! Finally as an adult, I checked it out one rainy afternoon with my kids and was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the campus alone. First stop, the planetarium for a look at the stars. Next stop, the Polynesian Hall with it's grand arches and glass cases of Polynesian artifacts - clothing, accessories, weapons, and tools - cool stuff I must say. I don't even remember New York's Natural History Museum having this good of a selection from the Pacific Islands. The Kahili Room displayed the large kahili feathered standards used by the Ali'i or royalty of the Islands. Amongst them, of course, was the last crowned princess, Princess Ka'iulani, my daughter's namesake. My favorite inspiration came from the intricate textiles created by the Polynesians, made by beating bark cloth with engraved wooden batons to create an allover embossed pattern on the fabric (see picture above of some of these beautiful patterns.) I wish I could have this archive collection of print repeats for my design library! Talk about innovative textile design! The newest addition, the Science Adventure Center, was a favorite for my son, with it's educational volcano and wave exhibits. Lastly, I highly recommend the gift shop. Lots of great Hawaiiana books, replicas of archive photos, textiles, and my favorite batik-printed and hand-dyed sling bags made in Maui. I'm sure this little side trip to The Bishop Museum will make its way into my designs someday, with enough inspiration for several collections I'm sure.

Field Trip - The Bishop Museum

It's been about 30 years that I've been either living or visiting Hawaii and I've never been to the Bishop Museum. It's the island's most famous and grandest of natural history museums, with archives dating back to the 1800's, the largest selection of Polynesian artifacts, and the most comprehensive collection of Hawaiiana. I can't believe my Brownies troop never took me here when I was 10! Finally as an adult, I checked it out one rainy afternoon with my kids and was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the campus alone. First stop, the planetarium for a look at the stars. Next stop, the Polynesian Hall with it's grand arches and glass cases of Polynesian artifacts - clothing, accessories, weapons, and tools - cool stuff I must say. I don't even remember New York's Natural History Museum having this good of a selection from the Pacific Islands. The Kahili Room displayed the large kahili feathered standards used by the Ali'i or royalty of the Islands. Amongst them, of course, was the last crowned princess, Princess Ka'iulani, my daughter's namesake. My favorite inspiration came from the intricate textiles created by the Polynesians, made by beating bark cloth with engraved wooden batons to create an allover embossed pattern on the fabric (see picture above of some of these beautiful patterns.) I wish I could have this archive collection of print repeats for my design library! Talk about innovative textile design! The newest addition, the Science Adventure Center, was a favorite for my son, with it's educational volcano and wave exhibits. Lastly, I highly recommend the gift shop. Lots of great Hawaiiana books, replicas of archive photos, textiles, and my favorite batik-printed and hand-dyed sling bags made in Maui. I'm sure this little side trip to The Bishop Museum will make its way into my designs someday, with enough inspiration for several collections I'm sure.

Road Trip - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been an absent blogger I know, but for a good reason...I took a long needed vacation back home to Hawaii and vowed not to bring my computer (although my new iPhone toy doesn't count!!) Boy, did I ever need a vacation. I love going back home because it's so effortless to relax and fun to visit my local haunts.

I always have my usual stops to make - drive up to Haleiwa to check out the Northshore Swimwear shop (bought a fabulous animal print bikini), Bali Moon (great Balinese finds such as easy tie dye tunics or cotton crochet hippie tops), Strong Current (by far the best place to pick up surf-inspired hoodies and tees), and of course the faithful Matsumoto's shave ice stop.

Another ritual is to check out the local retail (Stacia has yet to break into the Hawaii market). There's actually not much to report from the Hawaii retail scene. Their market pretty much caters to the foreign buyer (hence all the free-standing designer stores like Gucci, Prada, and even Coach (US buyer's beware...most items are marked up a good $100 from the mainland and web, so hold off if you can.) And there's not much to choose from in local "multi-designer" boutiques either. In Kahala, you have Shasa Emporium, who's store identity keeps changing (used to carry a lot of "junior" items, but now hosts a lot of great contemporary lines) and Ohelo Road, a store that also has a slight identity crisis (not sure if they want to cater to the designer t-shirt and jeans crowd- official home of the Michael Stars' line- or the bohemian 40-something eclectic.) I did discover a new shop that opened up at the fairly new Waikiki Beachwalk complex, called Bernards of Hawaii. For once I came upon a shop with some clear style, with it's mix of ultra-hip LA based designer tees, jeans, and hoodies, plus a vast array of cool beauty products- a real two-fer. Not sure what kind of traffic they'll get at the 2nd floor level, but it was refreshing to see some LA vibe on the islands.

I personally tend to explore the non-traditional avenues for shopping. I always make a stop at Native Books and Beautiful Things shop in Ward Warehouse to check out local artists, island-inspired books, and off-beat island-themed apparel and accessories. I've been hording these great batik printed and hand-dyed sack bags from Maui (got four now!). Their slight hippie vibe makes it great for slinging diagonally over your body for those trips to the farmer's market or spontaneous beach days (holds a lot, even a wet suit and towel!). And this is where I also have snagged some work by my favorite female artist, Mapuana. Her watercolor paintings of hula dancers and her rich vibrant colors are so inspiring that I just can't get enough (more to follow on Mapuana...)

But besides relaxing, shopping, and trekking to my favorite spots, the main reason for the trip was to celebrate my daughter's one year birthday and to have her christened "Hawaiian style" by our favorite Kahu (Hawaiian priest), Kahu Silva. On the rocky sands of Sandy Beach (a childhood favorite beach near home), and under the hovering rain clouds and sparkling sun, we had a traditional Hawaiian blessing or Ho'ola'a for Kaiulani Rose. She looked beautiful in a vintage Stacia baby dress (circa 2003) that matched my own cotton voile "tide pool" print dress (also an old Stacia New York design.) The only other topper to the trip was long boarding at Canoes in Waikiki- my favorite long boarding beach where there's nothing more satisfying than feeling like Duke Kahanamoku while leisurly riding a wave for a good minute or two- whoohoo!

Road Trip - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been an absent blogger I know, but for a good reason...I took a long needed vacation back home to Hawaii and vowed not to bring my computer (although my new iPhone toy doesn't count!!) Boy, did I ever need a vacation. I love going back home because it's so effortless to relax and fun to visit my local haunts.

I always have my usual stops to make - drive up to Haleiwa to check out the Northshore Swimwear shop (bought a fabulous animal print bikini), Bali Moon (great Balinese finds such as easy tie dye tunics or cotton crochet hippie tops), Strong Current (by far the best place to pick up surf-inspired hoodies and tees), and of course the faithful Matsumoto's shave ice stop.

Another ritual is to check out the local retail (Stacia has yet to break into the Hawaii market). There's actually not much to report from the Hawaii retail scene. Their market pretty much caters to the foreign buyer (hence all the free-standing designer stores like Gucci, Prada, and even Coach (US buyer's beware...most items are marked up a good $100 from the mainland and web, so hold off if you can.) And there's not much to choose from in local "multi-designer" boutiques either. In Kahala, you have Shasa Emporium, who's store identity keeps changing (used to carry a lot of "junior" items, but now hosts a lot of great contemporary lines) and Ohelo Road, a store that also has a slight identity crisis (not sure if they want to cater to the designer t-shirt and jeans crowd- official home of the Michael Stars' line- or the bohemian 40-something eclectic.) I did discover a new shop that opened up at the fairly new Waikiki Beachwalk complex, called Bernards of Hawaii. For once I came upon a shop with some clear style, with it's mix of ultra-hip LA based designer tees, jeans, and hoodies, plus a vast array of cool beauty products- a real two-fer. Not sure what kind of traffic they'll get at the 2nd floor level, but it was refreshing to see some LA vibe on the islands.

I personally tend to explore the non-traditional avenues for shopping. I always make a stop at Native Books and Beautiful Things shop in Ward Warehouse to check out local artists, island-inspired books, and off-beat island-themed apparel and accessories. I've been hording these great batik printed and hand-dyed sack bags from Maui (got four now!). Their slight hippie vibe makes it great for slinging diagonally over your body for those trips to the farmer's market or spontaneous beach days (holds a lot, even a wet suit and towel!). And this is where I also have snagged some work by my favorite female artist, Mapuana. Her watercolor paintings of hula dancers and her rich vibrant colors are so inspiring that I just can't get enough (more to follow on Mapuana...)

But besides relaxing, shopping, and trekking to my favorite spots, the main reason for the trip was to celebrate my daughter's one year birthday and to have her christened "Hawaiian style" by our favorite Kahu (Hawaiian priest), Kahu Silva. On the rocky sands of Sandy Beach (a childhood favorite beach near home), and under the hovering rain clouds and sparkling sun, we had a traditional Hawaiian blessing or Ho'ola'a for Kaiulani Rose. She looked beautiful in a vintage Stacia baby dress (circa 2003) that matched my own cotton voile "tide pool" print dress (also an old Stacia New York design.) The only other topper to the trip was long boarding at Canoes in Waikiki- my favorite long boarding beach where there's nothing more satisfying than feeling like Duke Kahanamoku while leisurly riding a wave for a good minute or two- whoohoo!

Stacia on Cover of Health Magazine

Yippee! Our first cover! Check out Health Magazine's November issue and see our Stacia Bungalow hoodie gracing the cover. The model looks fabulous with her turquoise blue eyes, dark hair, and our Surf hoodie. The bad news is we're already sold out of this aqua color, but the good news is we have this ribbed hoodie available in other beachy colors and it's on sale! And to top it off, we're currently running a Free Shipping promo for a limited time. So check out the cover and grab one of these yummy hoodies for yourself before they sell out completely!

Stacia on Cover of Health Magazine

Yippee! Our first cover! Check out Health Magazine's November issue and see our Stacia Bungalow hoodie gracing the cover. The model looks fabulous with her turquoise blue eyes, dark hair, and our Surf hoodie. The bad news is we're already sold out of this aqua color, but the good news is we have this ribbed hoodie available in other beachy colors and it's on sale! And to top it off, we're currently running a Free Shipping promo for a limited time. So check out the cover and grab one of these yummy hoodies for yourself before they sell out completely!

Road Trip - Portland, Oregon

Baby Kai and I jetted up to Portland to visit an old high school friend for a girl's weekend. I was craving a little 'girl time' - shopping, eating, and no boys allowed! Portland, rain and all, is a fun little city. My favorite walkable neighborhood, The Pearl, reminded me of Brooklyn's Dumbo - cool warehousey buildings converted to lofts, art galleries, bistros, and chic boutiques. For low-light, sophisticated dining, we enjoyed dinner at the Latin restaurant, Oba, in the Pearl district, where I ravished my butternut squash enchiladas and cheese-dip nachos -yummmm! Snatched up some cute duds and Pippy-long stocking tights for Kai at Hanna Andersson's organic cotton kids boutique (my friend calls it Hannah Montana!) And all Portland tourists should check out the famous Powell's bookstore - the huge emporium of new and used books galore (snagged some out of print Sesame Streets for Campbell!) On my list was to scout out the retail scene for Stacia too. Checked out Hot Box Betty's Portland outpost on Broadway Street (we sell to their Bend boutique.) It's matchbox size store is stocked with a nice edited selection of clothes for men and women. And what do stylish women do in Portland with all the rain? Umbrellas are faux pas for sure. And unlike their sister city, Seattle, this town is less about Patagonia anoraks and more about sleek trenches and cute newsboy hats to stay dry. Fell in love with the jacquard newsboy hat at Hot Box Betty. If I lived where it actually rained, I'd be doning this hat for sure! Portland's NW district of Nob Hill was also a favorite. With Fall in full bloom and orange, gold, and red leafy trees lining the street, NW 23rd Street could have been mistaken for a street in Boston or Connecticut. And lastly, let's not forget the unforgettable cupcakes at Saint Cupcake on NW 17th Avenue- to die for!

Road Trip - Portland, Oregon

Baby Kai and I jetted up to Portland to visit an old high school friend for a girl's weekend. I was craving a little 'girl time' - shopping, eating, and no boys allowed! Portland, rain and all, is a fun little city. My favorite walkable neighborhood, The Pearl, reminded me of Brooklyn's Dumbo - cool warehousey buildings converted to lofts, art galleries, bistros, and chic boutiques. For low-light, sophisticated dining, we enjoyed dinner at the Latin restaurant, Oba, in the Pearl district, where I ravished my butternut squash enchiladas and cheese-dip nachos -yummmm! Snatched up some cute duds and Pippy-long stocking tights for Kai at Hanna Andersson's organic cotton kids boutique (my friend calls it Hannah Montana!) And all Portland tourists should check out the famous Powell's bookstore - the huge emporium of new and used books galore (snagged some out of print Sesame Streets for Campbell!) On my list was to scout out the retail scene for Stacia too. Checked out Hot Box Betty's Portland outpost on Broadway Street (we sell to their Bend boutique.) It's matchbox size store is stocked with a nice edited selection of clothes for men and women. And what do stylish women do in Portland with all the rain? Umbrellas are faux pas for sure. And unlike their sister city, Seattle, this town is less about Patagonia anoraks and more about sleek trenches and cute newsboy hats to stay dry. Fell in love with the jacquard newsboy hat at Hot Box Betty. If I lived where it actually rained, I'd be doning this hat for sure! Portland's NW district of Nob Hill was also a favorite. With Fall in full bloom and orange, gold, and red leafy trees lining the street, NW 23rd Street could have been mistaken for a street in Boston or Connecticut. And lastly, let's not forget the unforgettable cupcakes at Saint Cupcake on NW 17th Avenue- to die for!

Fashion For the Cure- "Think Pink & Green"

Last night was date night for me and my hubby, but rather than dinner and a movie, we opted to dress up in our finest and dash on down to 2 Rodeo Drive. Susan G. Komen's Los Angeles County chapter presented the Fashion for the Cure event on the lovely cobblestone streets of Rodeo Drive. With live music, yummy oysters and wine, and back-to-back fashion shows, it was just enough she-she yet all serious fun. The event was hosted by Mariel Hemmingway and featured green fashion from Deborah Lindquist and breast cancer survivors modeling eco-fashion from Stacia, Not Your Daughter's Jeans, Eco-Centric, MC 2, and SASH. There's nothing better than seeing real women looking fabulous (and comfortable!) in my designs and strutting their stuff down the runway. Women of all shapes, sizes, and age looking beautiful! I was so proud! Breast cancer awareness is a very personal cause for me having had my grandmother die of breast cancer in her 40's and a best friend diagnosed (twice!) in her mid 20's. Today, the awareness has helped women of all ages overcome the death sentence of breast cancer. Unlike my grandmother, who back in the 50's would not have known to have done a self exam, my best friend thankfully beat the cancer early (and now she is mother to a beautiful baby boy!) I was happy and honored to be asked to participate in this extraordinary event and to make just a few women feel like a million bucks for one night.

Fashion For the Cure- "Think Pink & Green"

Last night was date night for me and my hubby, but rather than dinner and a movie, we opted to dress up in our finest and dash on down to 2 Rodeo Drive. Susan G. Komen's Los Angeles County chapter presented the Fashion for the Cure event on the lovely cobblestone streets of Rodeo Drive. With live music, yummy oysters and wine, and back-to-back fashion shows, it was just enough she-she yet all serious fun. The event was hosted by Mariel Hemmingway and featured green fashion from Deborah Lindquist and breast cancer survivors modeling eco-fashion from Stacia, Not Your Daughter's Jeans, Eco-Centric, MC 2, and SASH. There's nothing better than seeing real women looking fabulous (and comfortable!) in my designs and strutting their stuff down the runway. Women of all shapes, sizes, and age looking beautiful! I was so proud! Breast cancer awareness is a very personal cause for me having had my grandmother die of breast cancer in her 40's and a best friend diagnosed (twice!) in her mid 20's. Today, the awareness has helped women of all ages overcome the death sentence of breast cancer. Unlike my grandmother, who back in the 50's would not have known to have done a self exam, my best friend thankfully beat the cancer early (and now she is mother to a beautiful baby boy!) I was happy and honored to be asked to participate in this extraordinary event and to make just a few women feel like a million bucks for one night.

Cool Blog Alert

Check out Ravinstyle's new fashion blog, ravinstyle.blogspot.com! One of my favorite online retailers has launched into the blog-o-sphere. Now you can get up to date fashion filing from New York's uber cool fashionistas. Ravinstyle.com always stocks the latest and greatest clothes from designers on both coasts (and yours truly too!), plus the best selection of accessories (love the bags!) online. Ravinstyle's schtick is to cover the gammut of all a girl's personalities, whether she's minimal chic, bohemian edge, or flirty and feminine. The Ravinstyle gals are Jackie, Ravin, and Lela and each represents a style personality. Any real fashionista has a little of each of these style personalities within and it's nice to know you can one-stop shop for whichever mood you're in. Their latest post announces a chance to win a $500 shopping spree at ravinstyle.com when you sign up on their mailing list- cool deal!

Cool Blog Alert

Check out Ravinstyle's new fashion blog, ravinstyle.blogspot.com! One of my favorite online retailers has launched into the blog-o-sphere. Now you can get up to date fashion filing from New York's uber cool fashionistas. Ravinstyle.com always stocks the latest and greatest clothes from designers on both coasts (and yours truly too!), plus the best selection of accessories (love the bags!) online. Ravinstyle's schtick is to cover the gammut of all a girl's personalities, whether she's minimal chic, bohemian edge, or flirty and feminine. The Ravinstyle gals are Jackie, Ravin, and Lela and each represents a style personality. Any real fashionista has a little of each of these style personalities within and it's nice to know you can one-stop shop for whichever mood you're in. Their latest post announces a chance to win a $500 shopping spree at ravinstyle.com when you sign up on their mailing list- cool deal!

It's Not All Catwalks, Caviar, and Champagne

Everyone thinks being a fashion designer is all about catwalks, caviar, champagne, and diva behavior. But in fact, it's all about problem solving, factory issues, and pick n' pack shipping. There's nothing glamorous about being a real designer or one that gets down on their knees to baste a hem or take trans-Atlantic calls with the Hong Kong factory at 11:00 at night. I wish I was sitting in a fabulous design studio overlooking the Champs-Elysees making delicate brush strokes on my illustrations and sipping cappuccino that my assistant fetched for me. Yeah, right! Unfortunately the reality is the craziness that goes on behind the scenes and all the production problems, bad checks, and bounced boxes. But I'm happy to say, that's where all the fun begins as a real designer. There's nothing more satisfying than tackling a problem and putting it to bed.

I recently had such a catastrophe that thankfully was diverted in less than 48 hours! One of my favorite dresses for Fall, the cuter than cute merino baby doll dress pictured above, came in with a major pressing problem. All 315 of these puppies came in with the empire waist gathers pressed open and flat which created the most unflattering bump at the high hip. But the most distressing part was I didn't discover the problem until I had shipped out 130 of them to my customers. Yikes! Thankfully, one of my loyal clients noticed the problem and notified me. There's nothing worse than the awful empty-pit feeling in the stomach when I proceeded to unpack a bunch of my production from Hong Kong to find these unsightly bumps. I was mortified! My favorite dress looked like hell. After a lengthy conversation with my overseas factory late at night, we concluded the problem resulted in the pressing stage at the factory and it was not a knitting or design problem. The end result being that I needed to pull all 130 dresses off the selling floor and quickly (literally in 24 hours) get these dresses repressed to perfection and reshipped. I had to schlep all 315 of these dresses to Gardena for repressing (boy, do I need an intern, and one with a car!).

Yeah, problem solved! Now all my stores have the correct dresses on the selling floor and I can sit back and know that they will sell themselves. So yes, being a designer can sometimes be glamorous (photo shoots, fashion shows, and publicity galore), but the real deal is getting through the bumps and hurdles that come with the job. You don't too often hear about the back-room catastrophes at Marc Jacobs or Chanel, but rest a sure, they do happen to all of us designers, big and small.

It's Not All Catwalks, Caviar, and Champagne

Everyone thinks being a fashion designer is all about catwalks, caviar, champagne, and diva behavior. But in fact, it's all about problem solving, factory issues, and pick n' pack shipping. There's nothing glamorous about being a real designer or one that gets down on their knees to baste a hem or take trans-Atlantic calls with the Hong Kong factory at 11:00 at night. I wish I was sitting in a fabulous design studio overlooking the Champs-Elysees making delicate brush strokes on my illustrations and sipping cappuccino that my assistant fetched for me. Yeah, right! Unfortunately the reality is the craziness that goes on behind the scenes and all the production problems, bad checks, and bounced boxes. But I'm happy to say, that's where all the fun begins as a real designer. There's nothing more satisfying than tackling a problem and putting it to bed.

I recently had such a catastrophe that thankfully was diverted in less than 48 hours! One of my favorite dresses for Fall, the cuter than cute merino baby doll dress pictured above, came in with a major pressing problem. All 315 of these puppies came in with the empire waist gathers pressed open and flat which created the most unflattering bump at the high hip. But the most distressing part was I didn't discover the problem until I had shipped out 130 of them to my customers. Yikes! Thankfully, one of my loyal clients noticed the problem and notified me. There's nothing worse than the awful empty-pit feeling in the stomach when I proceeded to unpack a bunch of my production from Hong Kong to find these unsightly bumps. I was mortified! My favorite dress looked like hell. After a lengthy conversation with my overseas factory late at night, we concluded the problem resulted in the pressing stage at the factory and it was not a knitting or design problem. The end result being that I needed to pull all 130 dresses off the selling floor and quickly (literally in 24 hours) get these dresses repressed to perfection and reshipped. I had to schlep all 315 of these dresses to Gardena for repressing (boy, do I need an intern, and one with a car!).

Yeah, problem solved! Now all my stores have the correct dresses on the selling floor and I can sit back and know that they will sell themselves. So yes, being a designer can sometimes be glamorous (photo shoots, fashion shows, and publicity galore), but the real deal is getting through the bumps and hurdles that come with the job. You don't too often hear about the back-room catastrophes at Marc Jacobs or Chanel, but rest a sure, they do happen to all of us designers, big and small.

Little Designers in the Making

Little Designers in the Making

Little Designers in the Making

I've been wanting to volunteer at my son's preschool in an arts n' crafts project with the kids. Since my studio is chock full of fabrics, buttons, sequins, beads, ric rac, and other preschool-friendly trim, I thought it only appropriate to do a Fashion Design project with them. My son and I did a little "run through" the night before to test that my project would be foul-proof and keep his attention. I had pre-cut with a template a bunch of little t-shirts, pants, and dresses in various fabrics (denim, ultra-suede, aloha prints, and cotton shirting fabrics) - sort of like paper dolls. Then it was just up to the kids to customize and decorate the tops, bottoms, and dresses with their choice of trims using fabric glue. For the real run-through, the kids had a blast gluing, appliqueing, and creating their own one-of-a-kind little designs. And let me tell you, these kids love their glue! At ages 3 and 4 years-old, they haven't quite mastered the art of gluing. Some actually went overkill on the glue and it became a decoration in itself! Both the boys and girls equally enjoyed the task of "designing" their miniature outfits. The boys especially enjoyed using the "cowboy" trim (a brown ultra-suede fringe) and the girls without a doubt piled on the sequins and flower appliques (little Tommy Hilfigers and Cynthia Rowley's in the making!) When all the outfits were complete, we mounted them on colored construction paper to display their unique designs. I was so proud to see their beautiful work, all done without any thought what so ever. Talk about spontaneous design! These preschoolers had a natural knack for design - there were no rules, self-doubt, or worries of copy-right infringement on their minds! For real designers you're always confronted with over-thinking your designs, worried about trends and what's going on in the market, or self-doubting your creations. But these little designers with all their innocence, were free to create without any baggage. God Bless them! If only all the Marc Jacobs, Nanette Lepores, and Philip Lims of the design world could be so free to design and create without outside influences (and this includes myself as a designer for sure!!) Stay tuned for a video of the Angel Room kids at work on their little masterpieces!

Little Designers in the Making

I've been wanting to volunteer at my son's preschool in an arts n' crafts project with the kids. Since my studio is chock full of fabrics, buttons, sequins, beads, ric rac, and other preschool-friendly trim, I thought it only appropriate to do a Fashion Design project with them. My son and I did a little "run through" the night before to test that my project would be foul-proof and keep his attention. I had pre-cut with a template a bunch of little t-shirts, pants, and dresses in various fabrics (denim, ultra-suede, aloha prints, and cotton shirting fabrics) - sort of like paper dolls. Then it was just up to the kids to customize and decorate the tops, bottoms, and dresses with their choice of trims using fabric glue. For the real run-through, the kids had a blast gluing, appliqueing, and creating their own one-of-a-kind little designs. And let me tell you, these kids love their glue! At ages 3 and 4 years-old, they haven't quite mastered the art of gluing. Some actually went overkill on the glue and it became a decoration in itself! Both the boys and girls equally enjoyed the task of "designing" their miniature outfits. The boys especially enjoyed using the "cowboy" trim (a brown ultra-suede fringe) and the girls without a doubt piled on the sequins and flower appliques (little Tommy Hilfigers and Cynthia Rowley's in the making!) When all the outfits were complete, we mounted them on colored construction paper to display their unique designs. I was so proud to see their beautiful work, all done without any thought what so ever. Talk about spontaneous design! These preschoolers had a natural knack for design - there were no rules, self-doubt, or worries of copy-right infringement on their minds! For real designers you're always confronted with over-thinking your designs, worried about trends and what's going on in the market, or self-doubting your creations. But these little designers with all their innocence, were free to create without any baggage. God Bless them! If only all the Marc Jacobs, Nanette Lepores, and Philip Lims of the design world could be so free to design and create without outside influences (and this includes myself as a designer for sure!!) Stay tuned for a video of the Angel Room kids at work on their little masterpieces!

Free Shipping and a Summer Sale @ Stacia!

Alas, Summer is over, but Fall is in the air at shopstacia.com. And for a limited time only, we're offering Free Shipping on all orders. Whoopie! There's some deals to be had in the Sale Item page and all of our Summer goodies are on sale too. Now's the time to snag that Riviera hoodie and Capri crochet beach tunic at 25% off for your next tropical getaway this Winter. Stock up on our scrumptious merino wool sweaters before the Winter chill hits. And don't forget, you can always email me directly at info@shopstacia.com if you ever have any questions about sizing, fit, color, etc. and I'm quick to respond. I love to interact with my customers. It makes me a better designer to hear what's on your mind - what you love, need, or want in knitwear will greatly influence my future collections. Happy Fall shopping!!
xoxo
Stacy

Free Shipping and a Summer Sale @ Stacia!

Alas, Summer is over, but Fall is in the air at shopstacia.com. And for a limited time only, we're offering Free Shipping on all orders. Whoopie! There's some deals to be had in the Sale Item page and all of our Summer goodies are on sale too. Now's the time to snag that Riviera hoodie and Capri crochet beach tunic at 25% off for your next tropical getaway this Winter. Stock up on our scrumptious merino wool sweaters before the Winter chill hits. And don't forget, you can always email me directly at info@shopstacia.com if you ever have any questions about sizing, fit, color, etc. and I'm quick to respond. I love to interact with my customers. It makes me a better designer to hear what's on your mind - what you love, need, or want in knitwear will greatly influence my future collections. Happy Fall shopping!!
xoxo
Stacy

Space Dye Merino Wool - in Stores Now!

This month we're shipping our full-on Stacia Winter collection of merino wool space dyed sweaters to stores across the country. Now with our new New York showroom and our increasing list of East Coast boutiques, Stacia has expanded into other fibers, merino wool to be specific, to keep our Northeastern customers warm and stylish in Stacia. Although the bulk of my collection is made in transitional year-around fabrics (think rayon, cotton, and bamboo), I can't ignore my Colorado and Nor'easterner's request for cozy wool versions of my spacedye sweaters. But my experience at retail has shown me that there are a lot of people out there who can't wear wool and don't want to pay for cashmere prices, but still want to cure that Winter chill with a cozy sweater. My solution was to "plait" my merino wool with rayon to give it a softer hand feel on the inside (itch-proof) and create a drapier hand for my wool dresses. Genius! So don't be afraid of wool (no more prickly skin!) and forget that $300 plus soon-to-pill cashmere sweater at Barney's. My spacedye merino wool (with rayon backing) will surely fit the bill for price, comfort, and warmth come this Winter. The "Alyeska" group (a favorite ski spot of mine in Alaska) consists of three winter-worthy colors - Cabin, Lake, and Lodge. I kept it a tight group of just four must-have Winter shapes - a belted chunky cardicoat, a flirty swing cardi, my signature hoodie, and a mod-inspired ribbed mini dress. All these goodies will be in a store near you this month, and of course, always online at shopstacia.com.

Space Dye Merino Wool - in Stores Now!

This month we're shipping our full-on Stacia Winter collection of merino wool space dyed sweaters to stores across the country. Now with our new New York showroom and our increasing list of East Coast boutiques, Stacia has expanded into other fibers, merino wool to be specific, to keep our Northeastern customers warm and stylish in Stacia. Although the bulk of my collection is made in transitional year-around fabrics (think rayon, cotton, and bamboo), I can't ignore my Colorado and Nor'easterner's request for cozy wool versions of my spacedye sweaters. But my experience at retail has shown me that there are a lot of people out there who can't wear wool and don't want to pay for cashmere prices, but still want to cure that Winter chill with a cozy sweater. My solution was to "plait" my merino wool with rayon to give it a softer hand feel on the inside (itch-proof) and create a drapier hand for my wool dresses. Genius! So don't be afraid of wool (no more prickly skin!) and forget that $300 plus soon-to-pill cashmere sweater at Barney's. My spacedye merino wool (with rayon backing) will surely fit the bill for price, comfort, and warmth come this Winter. The "Alyeska" group (a favorite ski spot of mine in Alaska) consists of three winter-worthy colors - Cabin, Lake, and Lodge. I kept it a tight group of just four must-have Winter shapes - a belted chunky cardicoat, a flirty swing cardi, my signature hoodie, and a mod-inspired ribbed mini dress. All these goodies will be in a store near you this month, and of course, always online at shopstacia.com.