Showroom International and the Bel Esprit Showroom Present Arte Moda Stile at Lily Lounge at Bellagio Las Vegas for Las Vegas Fashion Week

Showroom International and the Bel Esprit Showroom  will present Arte Moda Stile on Friday, May 24, 2013, featuring the work of international fashion designers and artists.  The event is hosted by Lily Lounge at Bellagio Las Vegas and The Light Group, providing a luxurious setting for the talented artists and designers.

Julia Blaukopf Photography, Melissa D’Agostino Textile Design

Arte Moda Stile brings together fine art and high end fashion design in an exhibit showing the connecting inspiration in fashion and art.  Whether color, composition, subject or medium, art and fashion are inspired by the same elements and serve as inspiration for design in all media.  Arte Moda Stile will present the work of Las Vegas and Philadelphia artists alongside the contemporary fashion designers presenting their work on the runway and in the Style Lounge at Las Vegas Fashion Week.

Local Las Vegas artists Omar Gomez and Nicholas Blackham will show select paintings.  Omar Gomez focuses on the sights and scenery of Las Vegas, exhibiting a painting of the Las Vegas landscape.  Nicholas Blackham will show his iconic portraits and abstract paintings.  Philadelphia photographer and artist Julia Blaukopf juxtaposes her photography of fashion and landscapes to create photo collages expressing the landscape through fashion, and the fashion through landscape.  Textile artist Melissa D’Agostino is exhibiting a piece of her textile art, with her signature geometric dyework and shibori technique.

Alongside the thought-provoking art, fashion designers will exhibit pieces that enhance aspects of the visual art.  Jewelry designers Moonlight and Alterequo will complement the art with the colorful, contemporary and avant garde jewelry designs.   Elena Garcia, a London textile and fashion artist, is sending her signature felted silk work and hand dyed apparel to emphasize color and texture.   Designer Lucy Tammam, inspired by the style of Old Hollywood, will present a piece that projects the current style choices of a long-gone Hollywood icon.  Designer Foldi Kinga will show pieces from her Baharat silk jewelry collection to complement the artwork.

All of the art and fashion pieces on display are available for sale after the event closes, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Nevada Blind Childrens Foundation.   To attend the event, and for additional information, contact showroominternational@gmail.com.

Julia Blaukopf Photography, Melissa D’Agostino Textile Design

Showroom International and the Bel Esprit Showroom Announce Style Lounge Designers at Las Vegas Fashion Week

Designers at the Style Lounge

Showroom International and the Bel Esprit Showroom are bringing their signature Style Lounge to Las Vegas Fashion Week, presenting fashion from couture to sportswear, and accessory and jewelry collections to buyers and press on Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22.  Designers from the United States and Europe will show their collections to fashion professionals.

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013, the showrooms’ Style Lounge will be hosted by Bagatelle, alongside the Las Vegas Fashion Week runway shows, and on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, the Style Lounge will move to a private suite in Heraea at the Palms.  New showroom members Noelle Nicole Collection, a luxury resort wear collection, and Petite Bourgeoisie, a better-priced, high fashion sportswear brand will present their collections both on the runway and at the Style Lounge.  The Style Lounge will also feature London couture designers House of Tammam, bes[ple amd ready-to-wear gowns, and Elena Garcia, hand-dyed and hand-felted silk dresses and separates.  Also from the United Kingdom is the contemporary designer sportswear and dress collection Eweline B.  Already well-known in Europe,these collections are making their US West Coast debut with their exquisitely constructed fashion.  The Baharat collection by award winning Hungarian costumer and designer Foldi Kinga will feature select pieces from the designer's current collection as well as the very popular silk jewelry line.  Moonlight Jewelry will show its successful Mosaic collection and the

Accessories designers at the Style Lounge

Renaissance collection, handmade from recycled sterling silver wire and chain, and debut its new Filigree collection.  Italian jewelry brand Alterequo will show select pieces from their contemporary and avant-gard collection of statement jewelry made from recycled materials.  Rounding out the Style Lounge lineup will be Donna D Designs, sumptuous crystal jewelry already in demand among recording artists and celebrities.

The Style Lounge and runway shows are open to international buyers, press and fashion professionals.  To attend events during Las Vegas Fashion Week, and for more information, please contact showroominternational@gmail.com.

Ethical Fashion Takes Center Stage at Aureole for Las Vegas Fashion Week

Aureole in Mandalay Bay Hotel

Ethical fashion will be in the spotlight at Las Vegas Fashion Week at an exclusive, luxury runway event at Aureole in Mandalay Bay Hotel, a five star, internationally known restaurant by Chef Charlie Palmer.  Designers Lucy Tammam and Foldi Kinga will feature uxury couture gowns,  and Kasia Van Markoviec, designer of Van Markoviec, avant-garde eco-luxury sportswear, will present select items of her collection on May 23, 2013.  Fashion will grace the restaurant’s glass staircase, before an audience of VIP guests and professionals.

House of Tammam

The House of Tammam observes the strictest ethical standards for the production of the collection.  Using peace silk, organic cotton, and reclaimed vintage fabrics, Lucy Tammam fashions red carpet creations that combining old Hollywood glamour with modern style for exquisitely tailored, show stopping designs that have graced the BAFTA awards and weddings around the world.   Lucy’s commitment to ethical principles extends to social justice, employing certified fair-trade production for her ready-to-wear pieces and the intricate beadwork on her gowns.

Van Markoviec designs are beautiful expressions of modern, wearable fashion.  Netherlands designer Kasia Van Markoviec uses the highest-quality ecological fabrics, organic cottons and silks, recycled denim, as well as cutting edge fabrics made from recycled plastic.  Van Markoviec collections are known around the

Van Markoviec

world for their avant-garde look and wearable style.   Kasia works to revitalize the manufacturing industry in her native Poland, employing the highly skilled tailors and artisan workers to produce her luxury sportswear.

Designer Foldi Kinga, an award-winning designer and costumer, will round out the

Baharat

runway show with her artistic couture gowns created for her label Baharat.  Her gowns have been featured in art exhibits and runways around the world, and she has costumed performance pieces and theater productions.  Foldi practices zero-waste in her designs, using all the fabric scraps to create accessory and jewelry items.  Her beautiful necklaces and bracelets are exquisitely executed works of art, crafted from thousands of carefully cut silk scraps.

Chef Charlie Palmer’s Aureole at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is a dining destination for gourmands and wine-lovers alike.  Offering Chef Palmer’s acclaimed Progressive American cooking, it has been welcoming discerning diners from across the globe since it’s inception in 2009.   The show-stopping menu under the direction of Executive Chef Vincent Pouessel and Pastry Chef Megan Bringas combines the classic cuisine of Charlie Palmer with the theatricality of Las Vegas.  Aureole’s iconic four-story wine tower boasts over 10,000 bottles of 2,800 selections and has long been a fixture on the Las Vegas dining scene, collecting the highest food and wine accolades in the industry.  Aureole’s much lauded “wine angels,” retrieve wines from up and down the 48-foot tower with balletic grace and agility.  With three separate locations for a la carte dining – the sophisticated lounge, an elegant main dining room and luxurious swan court (replete with an outdoor patio overlooking the swans) – this celebrated restaurant offers distinctive options for a diverse range of diners.  With three unique private dining rooms, Aureole plays hosts to various groups of all sizes.

Las Vegas Fashion Week will feature runway shows of international fashion collection, a Style Lounge organized by Showroom International and the Bel Esprit Showroom, displaying the collections of participating designers and additional, select apparel, accessory and jewelry collections, the Luxury Runway at Aureole.  Bel Esprit and Showroom International  will debut Arte Moda Stile, a high end exhibit of art and fashion at the Lily Lounge at the Bellagio Las Vegas.   Las Vegas Fashion Week will combine industry only events with public events, giving fashion designers maximum exposure in the market.  Las Vegas Fashion Week will run from May 20-26, 2013.  For more information about the event, contact belesprit@ureach.com.

Bel Esprit and Showroom International partner with Las Vegas Fashion Week to Bring Arte Moda Stile to Las Vegas

Bel Esprit and Showroom International partner with Las Vegas Fashion Week for Summer/Fall 2013, adding exclusive, luxury events to expand Fashion Week from its 2011 debut.   Taking place May 20-26, 2013 in downtown Las Vegas, international independent fashion designers will have a number of opportunities to present their collections to an audience of retailers and press.

The Lily Lounge, Bellagio Las Vegas

International online showrooms Bel Esprit (www.belesprit.net) and Showroom International (www.showroominternational.com) bring their global fashion network to Las Vegas, and a roster of contemporary and creative independent and ethical fashion designers from around the world.  The showrooms are creating a buyers and press lounge where fashion professionals can review runway collections and discover accessory and apparel lines not featured on the catwalk.  Fashion Week will also be the Las Vegas debut of Arte Moda Stile, a retail exhibit of upscale art, fashion and design to an audience of art afficionados and fashionistas.  Arte Moda Stile spotlights complementary art, fashion and style in carefully arranged tableaus, expressing the artistic and artisan work in luxury fashion, visual art and design.  This special  Las Vegas edition will benefit United Movement of Organized Kindness (www. united-movement.org), a local non-profit charity providing the venue for the Fashion Week runway shows.   Arte Moda Stile will be hosted by Las Vegas Fashion Week sponsors, the Bellagio Las Vegas, the Light Group and The Lily Lounge, giving this retail exhibit a luxurious, exclusive and VIP setting.Las Vegas Fashion Week is quickly becoming the West Coast destination for high class, exclusive events presenting the best in international independent fashion.

In the Spotlight: Stadler-Kahn – The Ultimate Shopping Experience

Showroom International and the Bel Esprit Showroom support the retailers who support our designers!  The spotlight is shown today on a Philadelphia retail store, actually no, a retail experience, located in the heart of Center City Philadelphia.

Alexander Stadler is the artist and raconteur-proprietor of his eponymous store, stadler-Kahn.  The designer of beautifully crafted scarves and clothing with fun and quirky prints and the artist-creator of the characters-turned-offbeat-merchandise Willie and Kevin the Babysitting Bunny, Alex opened his store in 2012 to create a retail experience that sets his small store apart from any other retailer.   The merchandise is eclectic, but carefully curated for its quality, style and story.   And every item has a story, which Alex is happy to recount to help shoppers choose the perfect item for their occasion.  The store is best described by the owner himself as an  “elevated five and dime” featuring s-K items  and “furniture, presents, toys, soap, costume jewelry, stationary, and work we admire by other artists and designers.”

Stadler-Kahn merino wool scarves are the signature feature of the store (and featured in Showroom International), along with other pieces developed from his artistic pursuits.  Stadler-Kahn characters and artwork are on display in the luxury scarves, t-shirts and clothing items and a variety of home furnishings offering every shopper a guaranteed conversation piece for their home or wardrobe.  Bel Esprit member Moonlight Jewelry joined the store just in time for the holidays

Moonlight Jewelry at Stadler-Kahn

with a special earring collection crafted from recycled sterling silver, vintage glass and lead-free crystals, designed to be a unique and affordable gift for stadler-Kahn fashionistas.

And if you enjoy conversation…. Alex knows the story behind the products in his store, from the stationary originating in a paper-artist’s studio in Florence, to the glass, pottery and felt sculpture from renowned artists.  His gentle humor and wit makes the discovery of each item a special joy, and each time you go in the store, there is always something new to talk about.  On Thursday evenings, there’s a Sangria happy hour, where fans and fans-to-be of the store can enjoy the ambiance and good company.   Stadler-Kahn embodies all the best elements of shopping – great purchases and good fellowship.  Once you walk in the store you will never be bored and you will never be in a hurry to leave.   Enjoy the experience, you will walk out with a treasure and an entertaining story to tell your friends.  stadler-Kahn, 1724 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, 19103  267-242-7124.

Stadler-Kahn will be holding a jewelry trunk show on Sunday, December 16, featuring several local jewelry artists as well as the collections currently offered.

Donate Design Community in the Spotlight: Mushmina – A Store With a Mission

Tucked away on South Street in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood in Philadelphia is a charming store called Mushmina.  Walk inside and you are immediately transported to the magic and mystery of Morocco.  A creation of Heather and Katie O’Neill, the store features the most wonderful array of special, carefully crafted fashion, accessory and home items.  The store is not just lovingly curated by the sisters, they work directly with artisans in Morocco and Mali to develop high quality, high style items.

Their dream began with Heather’s Peace Corp service as a small business advisor, working in rural Morocco and helping women diversify their product offering to increase exports.  Heather was joined by her sister Katie, and the two traveled and lived in Morocco and Mali.  Their commitment to help economically disadvantaged people grew into the idea of Mushmina.  The sisters work with communities to develop commercially successful products, and give them a direct sales market through the Mushmina store and retailers throughout the US.

The sisters discovered that in these countries artisans often work in their homes and have very few opportunities to generate income. They also have limited bargaining power in the local market and limited access to international markets. Despite these challenges, the artisans are full of ideas, spirit, and vision.  Mushmina creates employment opportunities for women and men in developing countries. They view their creative process as a global exchange of ideas and an opportunity to develop new relationships across cultures. In the way each one contributes to this process, the products empower all people to be beautiful and expressive.

In Morocco they work with over 9 different artisan groups, employing over 75 artisans. Some of the superstar women’s groups have been the ladies of Arazane, The Embroidery association of Oulmes, Tifaout Cooperative, L’Association D’Artisanat Des Femmes De Khenifra, metalsmiths Cherif Rismi and Ahmed El Guerch, and many more.  Mushmina also works with the women of Oued Zem who help with all the finishing, labeling, and shipment of the products.

Mushmina is a little shop around the corner with a global mission.  If you are in Philadelphia, be sure to check out the store and talk to Katie about the many beautifully crafted products in the store.   But be forewarned – once you hear the amazing stories behind each of the items, you will find it impossible to leave empty-handed!

Mushmina, 1540 South Street, Philadelphia, PA

In the Spotlight: Richard Wright Photography

Showroom International and Bel Esprit’s new feature, StyleShop, has received a tremendous response and success from buyers, press and fashionistas.  StyleShop owes its popularity to the exquisite photography work by Richard Wright and the styling talent of Melissa Laskin.  Richard is an eclectic photographer whose passions embrace fashon, beauty and celebrity portraiture.  Richard Wright synthesizes extreme graphic realism with a traditional, classical sensibility.  This striking dualism has distinguished his work in the pages of French and American Elle, W, Vogue, Arena, L’Officiel Homme, L’Optimum, British and French Premiere, Italian and French Max, Studio Magazine, French and Japanese, Figaro Madame, Grazzia, and FrauJapan, to name a few.  His editorials have featured numerous celebrated artists, including Samuel L. Jakson, John Malkovich, Kevin Spacy, Benicio del Toro, Colin Farrell, Robert Mitchum, James Coburn, Sean Penn and Anthony Quinn.  Wright’s work is currently on exhibit at the Musee de la Mode de Marseille, France.

Showroom International and Bel Esprit’s partnership with renowned talent like Richard Wright and stylist Melissa Laskin underscore the showroom’s commitment to give independent and emerging designers opportunities that will help them compete in a crowded fashion marketplace.  The showrooms greatly appreciate the support of Richard and Melissa, who have both worked with international celebrities and magazines of the highest caliber.  The professional respect and attention they offer small companies struggling to establish themselves alongside global fashion houses demonstrates the character and integrity the showrooms seek in partnerships.  The next edition of StyleShop will present the Spring 2013 collecitons of showroom members.

For more information about Richard Wright and Melissa Laskin, please visit their websites and enjoy their creativity and professional excellence!

Richard Wright Photography

Melissa Laskin