We’re out for blood! It just wouldn’t be Halloween without a vampire reference, and it wouldn’t be a handbag discussion without patent. Patent is everywhere this winter, in some lively pop colors, with red being the most prominent in a variety of tints. From blood ink to candy apple, red patent is an easy to dress up or down color for your statement accessories.
With enough room for at least 5 pounds of candy, easy, the Boyy Francis Bag in Blood Ink Patent is our trick or treat bag of choice!
We’ve read a lot of grousing over the Marni-fication of Chloe. Of course, there are obvious Marni cues in Paulo Melim Andersson’s collection. The colors and prints, that’s just Paulo being Paulo. What the vocal preservationists forget is that Chloe’s top brass wanted a change, a fresh design perspective. The last See by Chloe collection before Paulo took over was widely criticized as an autopiloted transitional collection without a point of view. There were plenty of replacement candidates, if Chloe wanted a Stella-Phoebe clone they could have easily hired one.
Do we love Paulo Melim Andersson? Yes. Did we love Marni under his direction? Yes. Do we love what he’s done with See by Chloe? Definitely yes!
A few weeks ago (10/4) we showed you some low-res pics of the See by Chloe Cruise 2008 collection because that’s all we had. We promised you better pics when our samples came in and they did. Tobi is receiving 2 of the 3 collection themes—Ibiza and Resort-ee—and they should be here in December. See the rest of the photos in Sneak Peek and decide for yourself if the new look See by Chloe is for you. We love it!
More wintry gear just in time for…another heat wave? Come on weatherman, bring the cold already, it’s not supposed to be this hot right now! We’re longing for sweater weather! Check out all the new jeans, jackets, accessories and more in New Arrivals.
(coming March 2008)
We’re still getting so much sun on the West Coast that it doesn’t even feel like winter started, and spring samples are already coming! In this heat, we wish this Corey Lynn Calter spring 2008 collection was here right now. We’ll have to settle for a Sneak Peek. Flirty frocks with quirky prints in light fabrics, this is vintage Corey Lynn Calter. For a complete look at the CLC spring 2008, check out our Sneak Peek section.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Show your support and wear some pink!
Back in August, we partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure San Francisco and held a breast cancer awareness T-shirt design contest to help raise awareness and money for the cause. You voted and chose the 5 winners, and here they are, printed on organic cotton Loomstate tees:
10% of all breast cancer awareness T-shirt sales will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure San Francisco. That’s a fantastic reason to get them all! These tees are unisex and eco too, great gifts.
We told the real models to take a break so we could show our support for the cause by modeling the tees ourselves! A few of us from every Tobi department—buying, creative, customer care, engineering, marketing, operations—took part in posing (and jumping) for the Think Pink lookbook.
New York and Los Angeles get all the fashion press, but for raw creativity and style originality, San Francisco easily holds its own. In a city that loves the arts, embraces the unconventional and welcomes new ideas, everything goes. We love living and working in San Francisco, and we’d like to share a little local style with you. Nothing arranged, just a few random snapshots we’ve taken around town.
More new stuff from Corpus, Acne Jeans, Comme des Garcons, Foley and Corinna, and Hovey Lee this week. See all the new goodies in our New Arrivals section!
Vintage shopping is hard work. Anyone with enough coin can shop uptown and drop a fortune on good style, but who has that kind of cash? It takes a talented, seasoned shopper with free weekends and a keen eye to pull the sublimely stylish from piles of second hand clothing. Not only do you have to rummage through endless racks, you have to run a regular circuit of vintage stores. The one weekend you slack is the one you miss out on that incredible coat and scarf you would have kept forever! If you’re short on cardio and don’t feel like all that walking, there is a one-stop boutique in Manhattan’s Lower East Side that’s stuffed with tons of vintage keepers—Foley and Corinna.
The boutique counts vintage seekers of all kinds as regulars, including celebrities. Intermingled with all the cool second hand stuff is Anna Corinna and Dana Foley’s own clothing and bag brand, also called Foley and Corinna. It is, did you guess, vintage inspired. We’re carrying a ton of the Foley and Corinna bags this season, so if you’re a long way from the LES, take a look at our selection. Lots of jeweled tones and metallic for fall!
Oh, if you’re wondering what happened to Anna Corinna bags, Anna and Dana consolidated apparel and clothing under a single brand, Foley and Corinna. The bags are still here. Same designer, new name.
If the idea of covering your entire body in toxins sounds disgusting, you should be more picky about what goes into your bar soap. Get to know Pangea Organics. Their approach is quite simple: accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative. By integrating essential aroma therapy, the all-natural and organic ingredients give you a radiant glow that lasts. You’ll find nothing bad for body, mind or earth in Pangea Organics—they employ fair trade economic practices and use Zero Waste packaging.
You can make an accessory statement without resorting to excessive bling. Jewelry designer Hovey Lee’s eco-friendly collection shines bright with creativity not karats. Turn down the heavy metal and turn up The Little Mermaid soundtrack as Hovey Lee goes under the sea for her inspiration and materials this season.
Modern Scandinavian design is a syndicate of practicality, simplicity and quality. For fall, Danish duo Munthe Plus Simonsen keep the trinity intact while adding their signature touch of bohemian with a Anita Pallenberg vibe. Nolita girls will love Munthe Plus Simonsen.
Let’s be honest. The high-waist is polarizing because there aren’t too many of us that look flat out amazing in high-waisted jeans. It’s a difficult trend to wear well. Even when it does work, instead of “Wow you look incredible!” it’s more like “Wow, you can actually pull that off!” Yet we persist, determined to wiggle our way into fits that seem reserved for the select few with the agency-esq proportions. Will this trend ever become more inclusive?
With the resurgence of the trouser fit, the answer is yes. You'll do more than just pull off the look, you'll look like a star. With wider legs, tamed flare and over-the-shoe openings, high-waisted trouser jeans still aren't for everyone, but they definitely invite more of us to the party. Disco fabulous, sassy and buoyant, the high-waisted trouser jean is more forgiving than its tapered indie counterparts. These will never be mistaken for the bum flattening abominations that some moms made famous. This is a fit that actually flatters your curves!
If the first adaptations of this '70s inspired look discouraged you, don't turn your back on this version. Give the high-waisted trouser jean a try. Our verdict: hot, hot, hot!
Designer Amy Stephenson is a country girl on a mission to save us from the skinny blues. Yes, there is another look, an alternative to the denim tourniquet that’s just as sexy, classier and much easier to wear. Breathe easy and reintroduce your legs to normal circulation by introducing your jean collection to the perfect trouser fit.
Designers Jenny Graham and Toni Spencer have already filled our closets with everyday knit basics through their line Velvet. Now, they have something a little more special in mind for us. Their newest collection, called Graham and Spencer, is a youthful take on luxurious dresses, skirts, leggings, jackets, tunics and sweaters done in a neutral palette with a nice mix of classic, seasonal patterns. Sometimes we try too hard to look like we’re not trying too hard. Graham and Spencer is an unaffected chic find, sophisticated but very natural.
If the cold is already making you restless and you just can’t wait to get away, here’s a little resort appetizer to tide you over until spring, courtesy of Chloé’s new chief designer Paulo Melim Andersson. See by Chloé Cruise 2008 is a collection of three themes: the beaches of Ibiza, Resort-ee, and Party Favorite Looks. We expect to receive it all in late November, early December so stay tuned! Until then, snack on these insider pics. Not the cleanest pictures in the world, but, we snuck out what we could. You get the idea.
Ibiza. Airy vacation looks with vibrant colors and mixed fabrics.
Resort-ee. Beach comber with a girly twist.
Party Favorites. Silks, jacquards, and details when you have to look fabulous.Twinkle by Wenlan's fairytale heroine forgoes breezy whim for a more refined modern cocktail look. Wenlan Chia graces us with ruffles, bubble hems and bows for a storybook collection that enchants the holiday occasions with a radiant charm that appears more experienced, but hasn’t grown old.
Wenlan Chia's signature detailing at play.
When Phoebe Philo left Chloé, devotees of the French label's Left Bank bohemian spirit were rightly worried. What would become of the modern romantic vision they loved so dearly? After interviewing more than 30 candidates, the announcement of Marni creative director Paulo Melim Andersson as the successor spun those fears into excited anticipation.
It’s been knocked off several times, but you need the genuine article. Now, we have nothing against shopping on the cheap for disposable pieces with short, seasonal shelf lives, but for year-round essentials, don’t skimp. With skinny jeans and pumps, or cozy and layered with a long turtleneck underneath, leggings and ballet flats, you’ll be relying on the Bailey Hoodie a lot so grab the real deal in black, cedar or concrete. You’ll thank us.
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