HT DESIGNS_ BE INSPIRED

Jimmy Choo _ To buy or not to buy?

When I was in Vegas a couple weeks ago, I fell in love with a Jimmy Choo handbag. Go figure. The price tag stopped me. But now that I have looked online, I realize that it was an absolute steal at $1600. Everywhere else is selling it for $2000.

At first glance this probably doesn't look that out of the ordinary. But I did a lot of shopping around, and found that this handbag was different from everything else out there, and is still the practical/functional bag that I was looking for. It is a combination of liquid patent and suede. And even this unique colour caught my eye more than the black or brown versions. Blue can be neutral, right???

Of course, a Ferragamo also caught my eye with the equally high price tag. But in the end, I found that a lot of the designer labels had similar styles and colours. Burgundy, or should I say "cherry" was definitely in everyone's collection this fall.

Cavalli and Coca-Cola

Fashion Designers really do seem to like to expand outside their comfort zone. Here is the latest hook-up between Roberto Cavalli and Coca-Cola. 

But as usual, this limited edition run is not available to us Canadians. Just Italians this time around.

To give credit where credit is due - I saw these on Yumsugar Blog.

For those with too much money........

Well......it seems that each week I read about a new collaboration between a car company and a high end fashion brand.

This week it is Lamborgini's High end LP 640 and fashion design house Versace.

Two years ago they got together on a tin top version, this time around they chose a LP 640 roadster.

The real only exterior difference is that for the first time they included a clear bonnet to show the V12 in all its glory, and the real magic lie's on the inside. All customer seat inserts and custom colours make it truely unique.

And just like the last version in 06 this one comes with custom leather travel bags as well.

No word yet on the price......but you know the old saying, "if you have to ask the price.............."

Nike buys Adidas?????? doubtfull!!

I'm sure that this is PURELY a rumor......

Seems that someone leaked information that the mighty sneaker giant NIKE has put in an offer to buy one of the other top 3 sneaker companies, Adidas.

Nike has quickly refuted claims of a takeover bid, but spokespeople for Nike quickly refused to comment any further.

Adidas stock jumped with the rumor.......so who really knows whats the deal. But I'm seriously doubting it.

Futuristic watch concepts via Kanye West

Sean John II?

In case you weren't up on your blogsphere knowledge, ultra suave rapper Kanye West has a blog that'll drop some knowledge on y'all (his words, not mine.) He occasionally posts one or two sentence posts about fashion, music and the latest in tech he finds appealing. That's where we find these two interesting watch concepts.

The first, from design firm Chocolate Agency, sports the "e-paper" technology we've all come to know and love, albeit in a futuristic form that isn't anywhere near ready for prime-time. (C'mon, you've seen the Kindle's refresh rate.) The idea is simple: Bend the e-paper into a slap-bracelet form factor and charge the low-power display using kinetic energy from walking around. They also say if you need to extend the size of the bracelet, chuck on another magnet at the end.

The second, a concept from Gucci, seems a little more ready for prime time. Kanye was a little light on the specs, information or where he actually got the design from, but the watch looks simple enough. Looks like a bangle that retracts to reveal an OLED screen encased in plastic. Again, no release date nor real information, but we wouldn't be shocked to see that out of Gucci's portfolio soon.

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I personally love the first concept! Unfortunately I've outgrown the idea of wearing watches just because I have so many gadgets that display the time now a days that strapping something around my wrist seems so 1990.

Patchwork_Dolce and Gabbana

I took a look at Manolo's shoe blog today and had a good 'giggle.

"Manolo says, this sandal from the Dolce and the Gabbana is the sort of item that rides the very thin line between utterly tacky and completely stunning, and for that reason the Manolo loves it! For as we know, the true fashion is found on the border between the classic and the trashy."

T-shirts as Art

T-shirts are still the favorite all American clothing, so there are tons of websites that are just about the T's. From fashionable to political statements to  illustrations - there are millions of designs to choose from.

Check out a few of the sites that I found.  Emptees, Threadless, Bountee and DesignGive.
DesignGive's tagline - Cause for Design - gives back to organizations like the Red Cross, Diabetes, Cancer and Unicef. You personally get to choose which one your purchase goes towards.

The Great Wall of China a Fashion Runway??

I was flipping through style.com's 2007: A Year in Fashion and the only one that really caught my attention was the Fendi Great Wall of China Fashion Show. I'd seen the pictures a few months back as the show took place, but as I was looking at this picture and reading designer Karl Lagerfeld's comments I realized although I found it amazing to look at, its also absolutely absurd! Lagerfeld's comment: Karl Lagerfeld, the brand's designer, was quick to point out the historical inevitability. "The wall is built to be a runway, huh?" he shrugged. "They don't have to use it for fighting Mongolians anymore; now they can use it for fashion.

Converse turns 100

Ya Ya Ya...more shoe stuff from me!

Here is something cool that I stumbled across reading my "shoe news" sites.

www.converse.com has just turned 100 years old!!!

As a tribute to that starting in December and running until March they will release 100 special edition styles to commemorate this monumental event!

Come on, admit it, at some point in your life you either owned, or wanted to own a crazy coloured pair of chucks!

Several big name designers have signed on to help out and design a special shoe.

No crazy details or styles have surfaced yet but I'm sure it is just a matter of time.

Billionaire Boys Club

Here is a retail shop you don't see every day.

Seems that the Hong Kong market is a bit different than our North American one.

Pharrell, the hip hop star and Nigo the billionaire (bathing ape) have come up with their own fashion brand fittingly called Billionaire Boys Club.

Not exactly known for their shy, reserved styles, their flag ship store is definitely 'way out there'.

No idea how well it will go over, but it sure is "different"........