Jovani Fashions is on a mission. Deemed as one of the go-to brands for the perfect prom dress for that young consumer who wants to turn heads and make a statement at one of the most important social events of the year, Jovani has now positioned itself as a brand that is extending itself into markets that go beyond just pretty prom dresses. “Right now we are trying to expand consumer’s perspective of the brand beyond just prom dresses. We really want consumers to realize that the brand goes beyond prom, and that we are multifaceted and have merchandise that extends to affordable couture to great cocktail pieces to a variety of great garments for special occasions,” details Social Media/Marketing Coordinator Felicia Garay-Stanton.
In the constantly evolving, fast-paced fashion market, branding is everything. From American sportswear lifestyle brands like Tommy Hilfiger to luxury brands such as Ralph Rucci and Oscar de la Renta, solidifying your consumer base is essential to surviving in an economically challenged market. Still, fashion brands are always looking to capture a wider demographic. And with Jovani’s expansion into couture and holiday, the brand is redirecting its course, giving its widening consumer base more options.
“In our new collections we have incorporated more sophisticated looks that go beyond prom looks. This includes our couture-inspired or holiday garments which are still at Jovani’s affordable price points,” explains Design Director Julie Durocher.
Taylor Swift, Natalie Cole, Paris Hilton images courtesy of Jovani Fashions
This new focus is evident in Jovani Fashions’ lookbook and ad campaigns that now feature top models and well-known celebrities, ranging from Taylor Swift, Paris Hilton, Ashanti, Megan Hilty, and Katherine McPhee to Natalie Cole, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and Keri Hilson, who don the brand on music stages, award ceremonies, and red carpets. Jovani also played a key role in providing matching cocktail dresses for the finale of Smash.
Celebrities and top models aside, Jovani understands that staying on trend with new fabrications and exciting color palettes is crucial for any expanding brand. “If there is a popular trend in the market, we will find a way to incorporate it into the collection. Interestingly, we have been including diaphanous illusions and cutouts, which is now a popular trend, in Jovani dresses and gowns for several seasons,” contends Durocher.
All images courtesy of Jovani Fashions
“We also continue to stay on trend by using a lot of lace in our collections. For our current collections, I am concentrating now on longer length dresses with drop waist in reference to Downton Abbey and the Great Gatsby. We don’t want our collections to look too literal, so we have to be cognizant of the fact that some of the 1920s silhouettes don’t look good on all shapes and sizes, so we have to modify the silhouette to keep the looks current and fresh,” Durocher continues.
On-trend looks each season, affordable garments for a variety of customers, and a surefire marketing strategy, sounds like a winning combination. And it is!!
For more information, go to jovani.com.
—William S. Gooch
Where is the fantasy? Where is the innovative use of new textiles? Fashion Weeks have become so boring; all the clothes look the same, I need to see something new and exciting. Sound familiar? Well, if you talk to most fashion journalists and editors, these are some of things they hew and haw about in closed and not-so closed fashion circles.
The recent Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) BFA Graduates’ “The Future of Fashion” show might just change many fashion town criers declarations of boredom and malaise. FIT over the past several decades has produced a who’s who of some of the most noted fashion talent in the industry. From industry icons Calvin Klein, Norma Kamali, Stephen Burrows, and Ralph Rucci to Marie Claire fashion director Nina Garcia to bridal and evening wear superstars Amsale Aberra and Reem Acra. Interestingly, season after season when you observe the collections of the illustrious alumnae of FIT, adjectives and descriptions like tried-and-true, pedestrian, boring, or run-of-the-mill are rarely expressed. And that is partly due to the training and mission of FIT. FIT celebrates the artist with a keen eye focused on retail viability. That support and celebration was front and center at FIT’s 2013 BFA Graduates Fashion Show.
The range of categories in “The Future of Fashion” show went from neutrals to sportswear to knitwear to kids wear, ending with evening wear. Each FIT 2013 graduate had at least one garment in the runway show. Standouts in neutrals were Sofia Wahlberg’s black wool jacket with cream skerpa collar and skirt and Lynn Choi’s black cotton embroidered sweater with thread print skirt. In sportswear the standouts were Daniel Silverstein’s silver denim suit with leather-trimmed silk dress and Amanda Carlson’s rubber trench with bee-print blouse and cotton pants.
The knitwear collections did themselves proud this graduating class. There were so many great uses and innovative approaches to knitwear that ranged from knitwear in simple, but beautiful silhouettes to knitwear in a kaleidoscope of volume, construction and fashion-forward projection. If there were to be some standouts, those worth noting would be Claire Lung’s hand-knit white cotton dress and Jong Suk Park’s off-white, chunky cotton sweater with harem pants.
Kid’s clothes can be a tricky endeavor and many designers make the mistake of making clothing that are too adult for children or clothes that are stuck in the sugar and spice mold. FIT graduates found a way to create garments that were fun, sometimes sophisticated, with just the right amount of sweetness and charm.
In the midst of running to all of the New York International Bridal Fashion Week shows, I am actually performing in a theatrical show myself. My matinée’s curtain came down at 4:30p.m., leaving me a harried half hour to get to Anna Maier’s spring 2014 bridal show for my first couture runway show. I was running a couple of minutes behind, and alerted Fashion Reverie editor-in-chief, William Gooch, who was also in attendance. Now, I can’t say for sure, but I like to imagine that maybe, they held the show for me. Word of my bridal fashion blog must be spreading! Fortunately, I arrived a few minutes before the runway show starts.
My favorite looks include the Calais dress. With French lace, a delicate scalloped neckline, and a tasteful train. It is a dress that feels ladylike and feminine. The Vichy was also a standout, with gorgeous beading atop sheer tulle creating an ephemeral and youthful dress. As you may have noticed, each gown is named after a city in France.
Well, my fast and furious foray into New York International Bridal Fashion Week continues with my visit to the Junko Yoshioka atelier for a presentation of her 2014 collection. I was again accompanied by Fashion Reverie editor-in-chief William Gooch. This presentation was mostly by appointment only and there were only four people present at our viewing. A presentation is a very different experience than a runway show, much more intimate. It reminds me of what I imagine a classic 1950’s upscale shopping experience might have been like, with one model showing all of the different looks, and each look described in verbal detail.
After the presentation, the dresses were hanging on display, allowing me to examine each garment up close, feel the fabric and see the design elements in detail. I was even able meet designer Junko (pronounced June-Co) Yoshioka and have a one-on-one conversation with her. William and I were both invited to have the model retry any dresses that we wished to see again. I felt nervous, but with William’s encouragement, I asked to see one particular gown once more.
One of the gowns I wanted to see again was the ‘Éclair.’ It had beautiful draping, a softer cut sweetheart neckline, and a loose mermaid fit to the floor. The zipper on the back was off to the side, again, a small detail, but somehow it made the draping feel more continuous and gave the dress a modern feel. It was simple, but it was somehow so stunning. I could definitely see myself wearing the ‘Éclair.’ While the gown was gorgeous, it was the kind of dress that I feel would make everyone stand up and notice and continue commenting on how beautiful I looked, even after my wedding day.
The ‘Sorbet’ was another look that was a standout. It featured a beaded v-neckline, jeweled belt and a gorgeous keyhole back. If I wore this dress, I would feel sleek and sophisticated, yet timeless. The dress is made of crinkle chiffon, invoking the Grecian draped style, and with the addition of a modern constructed back and belt the ‘Sorbet,’ though classic, still looks very modern.
The final dress, the ‘Flambé,’ during the presentation was totally unexpected. Like any good actress, I know the importance of a well-timed wardrobe change! I expect that I, and most fashionable brides, will be planning more outfits for the wedding weekend than just the wedding gown. This shiny, sparkling, jewel-encrusted number will bring a tasteful bling to any party. A bride might wear it for a rehearsal dinner or an engagement party, but I was picturing myself wearing it to the bridal after party, dancing the night away. Who knows, the most daring among us brides might choose the ‘Flambé’ as their wedding dress!
It’s Bridal Week 2014! I am so excited because Fashion Reverie Editor-in-chief William Gooch has brought me on as a bridal correspondent. This is the perfect time in my life to take on such a task because I am getting married to a wonderful guy, Brett Macias, in October. And this will be my first time attending New York International Bridal Week. So much to see and so much to learn; and maybe I will find a bridal gown for myself, as well.
Everyone loves a spring bride. And Fashion Reverie always keeps its readers informed on the latest bridal styles and trends from bridal favorites Amsale, and Monique Lhuillier to bridal mavericks Austin Scarlett and Angel Sanchez to the more traditional designs of Theia.
With the proliferation of fashion e-commerce sites, many consumers have difficulty discerning what differentiates one site from the next, let alone offers great product and service. And though the digital age offers more accessibility and sometimes a wider range of product, quality of product and customer satisfaction sometimes gets lots in the shuffle.
When reselling and buying luxury items online, consumers are always leery of sites that purport to have authentic merchandise for top design houses. Shop Hers has found a great way to ensure that shoppers are buying accurate product. “Shop Hers created partnerships with luxury brands and they are our trusted source. So, when merchandise comes in, we go to our brand partners or they come to us and authenticate the merchandise. If an order comes in that is not authentic or is damaged, we cancel the order and send the merchandise back to the seller. Buyers are very excited to know that an order has been canceled and we are sincere about customer service,” explains Shanfeld.
And like all good sites, Shanfeld understands the importance of educating her shopper about great brands, new trends, and merchandise that might be off the radar of many consumers. “It was so important to me include luxury brands that have not had market saturation. When I think of luxury, immediately Balenciaga, Valentino, Lanvin, Balmain, and a host of others come to mind, but I also think of Jenny Kanye, Myne, Adam Lippes, Citizens of Humanity, and Kimberly Orvitz. All these brands have similar luxury price points. I am also thinking of educating the consumer who is not knowledge about Jenny Kanye or Zero + Maria Cornejo. … I didn’t want to be obsessed with just the heavy hitters because I see the value in a variety of luxury brands. And so do my shoppers. Many other sites that purport to sell luxury brands only take consumers down the same paths with the tried-and-true names. We have created a platform that takes our readers down multiple paths and fashion points of view,” extrapolates Shanfeld.
As Project Runway nears the end of its 11th season, many pause to wonder about the success of the many designers who have appeared on the show. Christian Siriano from season four is quickly becoming a household name with a lucrative contract with Payless Shoes and garments sold in Bergdorf Goodman’s, Neiman Marcus, and many upscale boutiques, as well as recently opening his signature store in New York City. Austin Scarlett from season one recently launched a well-received bridal collection. Irina Shabayeva, Korto Momolu, and Daniel Vosovic regularly show during New York Fashion Week. And season seven’s Emilio Sosa is one of the designers for Broadway’s much anticipated Motown: The Musical.
Fashion Reverie: How would you describe your design aesthetic?![Michelle Franklin Dress [1]](https://fashionreverie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Michelle-Franklin-Dress-1-768x1024.jpg)
FR: Would you say you combine hard and soft in your silhouettes and construction?
FR: How was Zac Posen different as a judge than Michael Kors?
A fashion student’s educational experience is usually defined by a curriculum steeped in fashion history, patternmaking, figure drawing, fabrication, construction, textiles, merchandising, marketing, costs analysis, and a plethora of other required courses. This barrage of needed instruction aims to produce individuals who possess a mastery of skills and are well-equipped to handle the ever-changed needs of today’s robust fashion market.
On January 13, 2012 FIT students were engaged in a guerilla protest tactic that sparked dialogue and raised consciousness on the fate of the Garment Center. The continuing demise of garment manufacturing in the US has been an evolving concern for industry professionals for the last decade. Noted fashion designers Nanette Lepore, Anna Sui, Yeohlee and even the revered CFDA have lent their time and resources to gain state and national attention to the sad of state of homegrown manufacturing. Now, FIT students are taking up the cause.
“My relationship with the Save the Garment Center started because I am a member of the union at FIT (UCE of FIT) which encompasses the faculty at the college. There was a screening of the documentary “Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags” at FIT, which inspired some students to do something about the demise of garment manufacturing in NYC. Whether FIT students are domestic or international, once they come to NYC, many of them want to stay here and develop careers,” explained Donofrio.
In celebration of Lion Brands 130-year anniversary, FIT knitwear students partnered with Lion Brand and the Save the Garment organization to create sweaters that spoke to the growing need to preserve the Garment Center. “Lion Brand is celebrating their 130-year anniversary and wanted to work on a project with FIT students, so I put together a Made in New York program for the students using Lion Brand yarn … Save the Garment District said we could use the logo as long as we used the correct font. Erica Wolf from Save the Garment Center sent over the logo, and Nick Matteo, our knit tech, knitted the logo electronically. Out students understood that a part of their assignment was to incorporate the Save the Garment Center logo into their design. It could be an insert, an armband, a label, etc. It was more about bring awareness. Once the project was complete, we did a photo shoot with professional models and a guerilla tactic on the streets in the Garment Center. All this took place on January 14, 2013, one of the coldest days of winter. We did cause a lot of attention and we were stopped by lots of people. So, we got to share our message and hopefully raised some awareness,” detailed Donofrio.
OK, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) has finally arrived. As you hustle from one amazing collection to the next, don’t forget MBFW is not just about the fall/winter 2013 collection. There is a lot to do and enjoy in the New York City besides viewing the fantastic collections. Though your week may be jammed back with runway shows, presentations and a wide variety of fashion events, take out some time and enjoy other things that New York City has to offer.
1) Now, we know you have a passion for fashion, but you don’t have to let this overwhelming predilection keep you at Lincoln Center. Take a break from your busy schedule and check out the shoe exhibit at Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). It is just a short subway/bus ride from Lincoln Center. Shoe Obsession examines our culture’s ever-growing fascination with extravagant and fashionable shoes. Shoe Obsession will feature approximately 150 examples of contemporary footwear, highlighting the extreme, lavish, and imaginative styles that have made shoes central to fashion.
2) If you want to get a little shopping in while you are in NYC, there are fantastic new stores that you should check out. From February 7 to February 26, cultishly popular Vanessa Bruno will preside over her own pop-up store, located at 131 Green Street. The pop-up store will feature chiffon dresses, tapered trousers, handbags, ranging in price from $300 to $2,000.
5) I have a sweet tooth and I know many of you do also. If you want to satisfy your craving for chocolate, visit Royce’s Chocolates at 509 Madison Avenue. This famous Japanese chocolatier opened its first NYC shop in December 2012.
6) You want a little culture outside of the fabulous fall 2013 collections, visit the Art of Scent exhibit at the Museu m of Arts and Design. The Art of Scent Features Pivotal Modern and Contemporary Works Including Chanel N˚ 5 by Ernest Beaux, Jicky by Aimé Guerlain, Aromatics Elixir by Bernard Chant, Light Blue by Olivier Cresp, Pleasures by Annie Buzantian and Alberto Morillas, and Untitled by Daniela Andrier .
7) If you want to trip the light fantastic, you can cut a rug at The Finale and The Bow. Located at 199 Bowery, The Finale is more an upscale lounge, while The Bow is in the basement has a more speakeasy vibe.
8) Fashion Reverie never forgets that looking at amazing garments can work up your hungry. So, to satisfy your palette, check out , Il Buco Alimentari E Vineria located at 53 Great Jones Street. Il Buco Alimentari E Vineria is the city’s most complete realization so far of a powerful myth: the simple and convivial restaurant that tastes just like Italy.
