Third Wave Fashion

Fashion Icon Friday: Robert Verdi He is the embodiment of the...

politicsfashionlife — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:24:43 -0400

Fashion Icon Friday: Robert Verdi

He is the embodiment of the idiom, ‘jack of all trades,’ and probably is probably one of the most sought after personalities in TV and entertainment. Robert Verdi seems to have done it all.

Born to a dressmaker and chef, no one knew that Robert would launch his career as a trained goldsmith. With his vivaciousness, engrained business savvy and eye for beautiful things, he received a degree from FIT and allowed his life to take him into Manhattan’s most cherished fashion retailers — Bergdorf’s, Bloomingdale’s, Barney’s, and Bendel’s. In the 90s, Robert set his sights on a career in TV with such shows as Full Frontal Fashion, She’s Got the Look and Surprise by Design, expanding his skills into interior design and the greater fashion realms. He even starred in a self-titled series, The Robert Verdi Show.

Today, you’ll find Robert continuously intersecting fashion, events, and social media through his company Robert Verdi Inc. Here he’s created one of today’s hottest spaces for the creative crossings called, ‘Luxe Laboratory’ where brands go to throw parties, grow connections, and make an impact.

Tech Crush Thursday: Garrett Camp It’s one thing to start a...

kellierosef — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:49:00 -0400

Tech Crush Thursday: Garrett Camp

It’s one thing to start a great company that people around the world use on a daily basis, but it is an entirely different thing to start THREE successful internet companies.

This week we are crushing on the man that did just that, Mr. Garrett Camp. Born in Canada, Garrett co-founded StumbleUpon in 2001, later moving the company to San Francisco in 2006. Just a year later, Camp and his co-founder, Geoff Smith, sold the company to eBay for $75 million. He continued to act as the company’s CEO until May 2012 after he stepped down (he remains Stumbleupon’s chairman) to focus on his another one of his ventures, Uber.

Launched in 2010, Uber is a mobile application that connects passengers with drivers of luxury vehicles for hire. The SF based company has raised over $50 million in funding and is solving transportation problems for busy city residents in San Francisco, NYC, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., Vancouver, Toronto, Paris, Berlin, Philadelphia, Dallas, London, Melbourne, and many more.

Don’t worry, Garrett didn’t stop there. He also started Blackjet, the company that helps consumers book seats on private jets faster than ever. If you struggle to find a last minute seat on a private jet traveling from New York to LA or South Florida, Blackjet is here to help. In 10 seconds, Blackjet will book your seat and guarantee seat availability. All you need is an invite code and you’re good to go.

This 2007 recipient of MIT Technology Review’s TR35 award, has one of the most impressive track records we’ve ever seen. What will he think of next? Only time will tell.

Image via WSJ.

Fashion Icon Friday: Gisele Bündchen She literally brought sexy...

politicsfashionlife — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:46:00 -0400

Fashion Icon Friday: Gisele Bündchen

She literally brought sexy back. Gisele Bündchen is a Brazilian supermodel, actress and producer. Her looks are like nothing the world has ever seen before, and is rumored to have single-handedly ended the ‘herioin chic’ era of modeling that was carried on by the likes of Kate Moss and Jamie King. Her career consists of a Rolling Stone magazine cover (a place rarely allocated for models), a number of catwalks including opening for Dolce, Dior, Valentino, and Michael Kors. She’s also been the face for a number of fashion campaigns, and is by far one of the world’s best-known Victoria’s Secret Angels.

What makes Gisele an icon, however, is her business acumen and such titles as: the highest-paid model in the world, and the eighth richest woman in entertainment, earning a whopping $45M in 2012. Today, you’ll find Gisele married to Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, consistently topping the international charts as one of the sexiest women in the world, and was just announced to be the face of Chanel’s new makeup line, LES BEIGES, shot by Mario Testino. (It’s even rumored that she was chosen by Lagerfield himself.)

Have a little extra time? Check out the LES BEIGES manifesto video here.

Tech Crush Thursday: Mattias Swenson As the world reacted to the...

kellierosef — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:16:14 -0400

Tech Crush Thursday: Mattias Swenson

As the world reacted to the thought of life without Google Reader, there is a small office in Sweden that celebrated. After receiving the shutdown notice, Co-founder and CEO, Mattias Swenson, called his brother (and co-founder) Daniel to tell him to build an importer. Overnight Daniel built an importer that allows users to move all of their feeds from Google Reader into Bloglovin’. In just 30 hours, Bloglovin gained over 13,000 new members.

Launched in 2008, Bloglovin serves as a platform to help people discover and follow blogs. The Stockholm based company, with the recent spike from Google Reader, now has over 2 million users. With a beautifully presented feed-reading experience, Bloglovin’ is the go-to for blogs in fashion, food and interior design. Members include some of the biggest names in blogging including Fashiontoast, The Sartorialist, and The Blonde Salad.

The Swenson brothers also recently introduced an annual award show, The Bloglovin Awards, which honors top bloggers for their creativity and following, among many other things. Past winners include Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller for Blog of the Year in 2012, and fashion “it girl”, Olivia Palermo, was named newcomer of the year also in 2012.

Wish List Wednesday: Casadei Iconic Blade Pumps Ok, take a...

politicsfashionlife — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:35:16 -0400

Wish List Wednesday: Casadei Iconic Blade Pumps

Ok, take a moment, and revel in this super sexy, super sharp, super chic collection of footwear. Worn by the likes of Zoe Saldana and obsessed over by Oscar Award winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, Casadei has maintained the chicness for which they’re known and definitely taking it up a notch by replacing the heel with a blade-like stem. Get this: the “blade” is made of real steel!

Embracing the colors of Spring and embodying an edginess we can’t get enough of, these pumps start at about $790 and go to about $950. They come in more colors than those shown, including nude with an orange lacquer blade and vibrant animal prints with Swarovski crystals and a black lacquered blade. Add these to your wish list immediately!

Fashion Icon Friday: Elle Macpherson Her nickname is “The Body,”...

politicsfashionlife — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:01:00 -0400

Fashion Icon Friday: Elle Macpherson

Her nickname is “The Body,” and rightfully so. Elle Macpherson is still one of the most stunning women in modeling and entertainment. Born Eleanor Nancy Gow, this Australian lingerie goddess did not stop at the photo shoots, she has gone on to be the founder and creative force behind a number of business ventures.

Her rise to fame began in New York City when she signed with Click Model Management, which helped her land the covers of Elle (how fitting), GQ, Vogue, and Playboy. Eventually her body gained her superstardom when she first appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue in the 80s. She helped mold a new outlook on supermodels by catapulting their image to celebrity.

Today, you’ll find her overlooking her businesses, which include a lingerie collection, Elle Macpherson Intimates, and a number of TV series, that includes NBC’s hit show, Fashion Star.

Tech Crunch Thursday: Linda Smith If you are anything like us,...

kellierosef — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:39:38 -0400

Tech Crunch Thursday: Linda Smith

If you are anything like us, you have been dreaming about Cher Horowitz’s closet for nearly two decades. Organized by color and season and managed by a computer program that allows her to choose matching outfits. Simply a dream for fashionistas since the mid-1990s…until now.

Swivel, created by interactive marketing company, FaceCake, is a tech-savvy digital dressing room that uses motion sensors to let you try on clothes virtually. Linda Smith, the Founder and CEO of FaceCake, is the mastermind behind this wonderful creation. In addition to allowing users to virtually try on clothing and accessories they have picked out, the technology also automatically promotes related items, making it easier than ever to build complete outfits without having to hunt through multiple store departments.

“With Swivel we’re providing a 24-hour in-home dressing room, allowing for greater interactivity during the shopping experience,” says Smith. “By doing this, Swivel-compatible retailers and brands increase their sales conversion rates by transforming passive online browsers to active participants.”

Although the technology is currently only available upon request, Swivel is set to make the decision of what to wear easier than ever. To keep up with the latest from FaceCake and Swivel, follow them on twitter at @SwivelMe.

Wish List Wednesday: Charles Philip Shanghai Spring/Summer 2013...

politicsfashionlife — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:37:26 -0400

Wish List Wednesday: Charles Philip Shanghai Spring/Summer 2013 Slipper Collection

These slippers are about one thing and one thing only: cool elegance. As you make your way back from SXSW and realize that you miss warm weather more than you thought, stock up on these bad boys and reassure yourself the thaw will be heading our way soon.

Made from the finest fabrics and coolest prints, we’re confident that the entire Spring/Summer 2013 Slipper collection will take you from your workday to the weekend with ease. (They even come in metallics and snakeskin prints!) So, join Charles Philip and the rest of his small army of shoe aficionados in celebrating the freshness and beauty from around the world in this globally-inspired slipper collection for Spring!

Fashion Icon Friday: Erin Wasson It’s 1997 and a polaroid...

politicsfashionlife — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:20:17 -0500

Fashion Icon Friday: Erin Wasson

It’s 1997 and a polaroid of “this skinny girl, all legs and short, curly hair” comes across the desk of Tammy Theis, then staffer at Fashion!Dallas and today co-founder of Wallflower Management. This was the picture of current supermodel bombshell, Erin Wasson, and because we’re all about Texas this week, we’re giving an extra special shout out to the beauty from down south.

She was born and raised in Irving, Texas and found superstardom in her mid-teens with campaigns for J.Crew, Tiffany & Co. Rolex, William Rast, and Michael Kors, amongst others. She even followed in the timeless footsteps of the greats before her and modeled for Max Factor. Still early in her career, there isn’t much to say about the blonde sex symbol, but one thing’s clear: she’s here to stay, expanding her career now into the film industry where she appeared as Vadoma in the 2012 horror flick, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. So we’ll be watching, and for now, we’re giving her all the credit in the world to become the icon we know she will be.

Got a little bit more time? Check out this piece from the Esquire video series, Waking Up Next to a Beautiful Woman: Erin Wasson.

Tech Crush Thursday: Jennifer Darmour Here at TWF we are all...

kellierosef — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:12:00 -0500

Tech Crush Thursday: Jennifer Darmour

Here at TWF we are all about the collision of fashion and technology. It’s what we do and it’s what we love. So, you can only imagine how excited we are about the recent movement of wearable technology. Enter Jennifer Darmour, Founder of electricfoxy & Interaction designer at Artefact.

Jennifer’s personal project for wearable technology started while a grad student at Art Center College of Design. She’s developed the award winning Modwells concept, a personal wellness modular, and has gone on to create many other tech integrated textiles.

Keeping to the healthy theme, Jennifer has also revolutionized the way we work out with her project, Move. “For wearable technology to become mainstream, it needs to move beyond the gadgets and really improve people’s lives.” Move is designed to bring together form and function in the gym. Attractive clothing with sensor-packed technology, along with a mobile app and cloud storage, work together to read your body’s position and muscle movement. The program determines if your form is correct, while providing real-time feedback. A trainer built into our workout wear? Yes, please!

Jennifer’s latest project, Zip, focuses on bringing together fashion and music. The garments have built-in music controls, as well as many other tech-focused features.

If you’re heading to SXSW, be sure to check out her wearable technology event!//

Got a little time? Check out these other fashion tech startups participating at SXSW!

Wish List Wednesday: The Frye Company Taylor Over The Knee...

politicsfashionlife — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:17:00 -0500

Wish List Wednesday: The Frye Company Taylor Over The Knee Boots

We are SO ready for SXSW! Have you been reading our blog? We’ve got you covered on everything you need to know as you head down south — we can’t get enough of all the tech collabs that are about to go down! And with all that excitement comes a push to start surveying our Western-inspired gear. We have to look the part, right? We searched and searched and needed to look no further than these sick Frye Company Taylor Over The Knee Boots. They’re the perfect mixture of traditional western inspiration with a fashion forward spin.

How much are these bad boys going to set you back? Oh, just $428, but, c’mon, they’re totally worth it — you’ll be wearing these beauts at the SXSW festivities for years to come!

Fashion Icon Friday: Jean Shrimpton “Model of the...

politicsfashionlife — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:36:01 -0500

Fashion Icon Friday: Jean Shrimpton

“Model of the Year.” “World’s highest paid model.” “Most Photographed In The World.” “Most famous model.” “The It Girl.” “The Face.” Those are all the accolades that have been received by none other than Jean Shrimpton, which is a far stretch from her former nickname of “the shrimp.” Perhaps the most interesting facet to this woman’s career is that little is actually known about Shrimpton’s personal life and yet she was on the minds of millions around the world for nearly two decades and beyond.

Born and raised in London, Jean quickly gained attention because of her wide doe-eyes, wispy eyelashes, and sexy pouty lips. In the 60s she was at the top of her game gaining heed on the global level and quickly becoming the most sought-after face in the fashion industry. This guaranteed her a string of public romances that only fortified the world’s celebration of Shrimpton’s prowess.

Her fame and intoxicating good-looks are definitely what has made Jean Shrimpton a who’s who in the fashion books but it is her intense and fierce career that definitely made her iconic.

Tech Crush Thursday: Kevin Systrom With over 100 million users...

kellierosef — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:16:27 -0500

Tech Crush Thursday: Kevin Systrom

With over 100 million users (as announced Tuesday), Instagram has grown from two young guys renting desks, to a record breaking acquisition with Facebook. Although Instagram was launched a little over two years ago, we can’t help but be impressed by the company’s growth and success (not to mention we are more than slightly addicted to the app).

Welcome, Kevin Systrom, CEO and Co-founder of Instagram, to the TWF Tech Crush Thursday hall of fame! After graduating from Stanford University, Kevin got his first taste of the startup tech world as an intern at Odeo, which later became Twitter. He also worked at Google where he worked on a number of product as well as their corporate development.

In 2012, Systrom and his Co-founder, Mike Krieger, sold the company to Facebook for an announced $1Billion. Although the sale went through, Kevin made sure that Instagram would continue to operate outside of Facebook. He also retained quite a bit of control over the photo-sharing company, allowing him to continue to make important decisions. For example, Kevin decided to remove Instagram photos from Twitter’s news feed, not at the request of Facebook, but to bring users to Instagram’s new website.

Yes, there have been some controversies surrounding the app and recent changes, but with 100 million users in just 28 months, it looks like the man behind Instagram knows what he’s doing.

Wish List Wednesday: Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013 Limited...

politicsfashionlife — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:05:29 -0500

Wish List Wednesday: Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013 Limited Edition Foulards d’Artistes Textiles

Leave it to Louis Vuitton to take it to the streets. That’s right, the French fashion house has decided to put all the nitty gritty, beautiful things about urban culture front and center in their newest collection of textiles.

Featuring 3 lines produced by these street artists: Aiko, Retna, and Os Gemeo, the collection evokes the beautiful, bright colors of graffiti’d walls, street murals, and the hustle and bustle of what makes major cities so… well, major! We love this new collection and can’t wait to get our hands on each and every piece.

They start at about $450 and go well over the $800 mark but we don’t care because, like the streets, these bad boys are timeless.

Check out the campaign video here.

Fashion Icon Friday: Suzy Parker Known for her carrot red hair...

politicsfashionlife — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:24:56 -0500

Fashion Icon Friday: Suzy Parker

Known for her carrot red hair and pale green eyes, Suzy Parker nearly missed her chance at super stardom. The younger sister of renowned top model, Dorian Leigh, Suzy only met with Eileen and Jerry Ford (of Ford Modeling Agency) because Dorian arranged the meeting.

Before agreeing to go to Ford, Dorian phoned in to the agency and said that she would only sign with them if her little sister was brought on as well. And in an anxious move to secure Dorian, they agreed to include Suzy in the deal without even seeing her. To their pleasant surprise Suzy was not only a bombshell, but her good looks and hard work made her more famous than her beautiful older sister.

At the age of 15 Suzy appeared in Life magazine and would go on to be in a campaign for DeRosa Jewelry, she would become the face of Coco Chanel, as well as be featured in the pages of Vogue, Elle, and advertisements for Max Factor, and Revlon. She was the first model to earn $200 per hour and $100,000 per year — a true achievement of the time. Parker would also be in such films as Kiss Them For me, opposite Cary Grant, and Funny Faces with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. Suzy also did not hesitate to venture into the silver screen acting in The Twilight Zone, and Tarzan amongst others.

With a career that spanned nearly two decades, Suzy Parker not only made a name for herself but ensured that her legacy would live on. Her achievements combined pushed her into the fine pages of the fashion history books and today we regard her as a true symbol and icon.

Tech Crush Thursday: Ben Lerer As women we have our go-to sites...

kellierosef — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:49:27 -0500

Tech Crush Thursday: Ben Lerer

As women we have our go-to sites for shopping and lifestyle, but for some time, there was no site specifically for men. That is until Thrillist stepped in to build a men’s lifestyle empire. With their 2010 acquisition of the members-only shopping club JackThreads, and the addition of a local experience platform, Thrillist Rewards, Thrillist Media Group is making it’s mark in the digital world. The three brands collectively reach over 4 million subscriptions daily and target a young male demographic both online and offline through content and commerce.

Behind it all, the Co-founder and CEO, Ben Lerer, took his place in the Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 list in 2009. Ben has grown his venture into a successful company, with over $13 million in funding. Beyond just the numbers, Ben has created a unique culture in his company that fosters entrepreneurship. His motto? “Don’t hope.” The idea being: don’t wait around for things to happen for you. “You have to make your own luck, you have to work hard and you have to do everything you can to be successful.”

In addition to Thrillist Media Group, Ben is also a Manager at Lerer Ventures, working side by side with his father to help other entrepreneurs grow their businesses. When asked in a recent interview with Forbes what he looks for in a potential investment, Ben explained it’s about the person or team more so than the actual business. “It’s really all about wanting to be someone’s business partner and knowing that they’ll do whatever it takes when going through the struggles of building a business.”

Wish List Wednesday: Stella McCartney Matchstick Necklace This...

politicsfashionlife — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:15:06 -0500

Wish List Wednesday: Stella McCartney Matchstick Necklace

This bauble beauty is the piece de resistance for any outfit — now, in the spring, and even in the upcoming summer months! We love the delicateness of this necklace with its fine chain and clasp (composed of brass), and as your eyes follow this showpiece you’re delightfully surprised by the enamel matchstick pendant alluding to the perfect balance of rock & roll and glam.

The Stella McCartney Matchstick Necklace comes in one size but don’t fret. You can have yours reflect your personality when you choose from one of three colors it comes in: fuchsia, burgundy, or mango/tangerine. The price for this must-have is $355 but we have a feeling it’s going to be well worth it as you’ll be wearing it for years to come.

Fashion Icon Friday: Christy Turlington Not many models can say...

politicsfashionlife — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:49:33 -0500

Fashion Icon Friday: Christy Turlington

Not many models can say they were a designer’s muse for almost two decades but Christy Turlington sure can. Representing Calvin Klein for about 20 years (1987-2007), Turlington is one of the most renowned models to have ever graced the industry. Period. Appearing in not 100, not 200, not even 300, but over 500 magazine covers and a number of professional photobooks, Christy is the ultimate businesswoman and icon. In 2008, known model casting agent James Scully had this to say about her: “The greatest model of all time! You could combine every model to this day into one person, and they wouldn’t come close… [working with her is] about as likely as winning the lottery.”

With an insanely successful career, a graciousness and a timeless beauty, one can find Christy working on her premier venture these days, Every Mother Counts (EMC). It’s an organization dedicated to ending preventable deaths caused by complications during childbirth around the world. EMC mobilizes and informs many audiences in ways they can take action to improve the health and well-being of women worldwide.

Attagirl, Christy!

Got a moment? Check out Career Stylist, Kelly Studer’s, interview with Christy Turlington on Building Your Personal Brand!

Tech Crush Thursday: Maarten Lens-Fitzgerald Working in a...

kellierosef — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:08:54 -0500

Tech Crush Thursday: Maarten Lens-Fitzgerald

Working in a shared work space like We Work Labs has some major perks, one of which being the ability to meet and learn from other entrepreneurs and small companies. One of our favorites entrepreneurs (who happens to sit right behind us) is Maarten Lens-Fitzgerald, Founder of augmented browser Layar.

Netherlands-based Layar is a mobile augmented reality browser that provides information on top of the camera display view. The technology works in various categories including eating and drinking, entertainment, games, retail and social networks to name just a few. In simple terms, Layar makes print come alive (see video). Simply put your mobile device over a printed object, say business card or magazine that uses Layar, and your phone will play a short video about said picture or text.

Maarten showed TWF how it works and needless to say we were blown away. With Layar, the print world really is clickable! We highly recommend downloading the Layar app, available on iPhone and Android, or visiting their site to learn more. Not only is Layar one of the best apps we’ve come across in a while, but Maarten is one of the friendliest and most knowledgeable men in the business. Not to mention he has the cutest son that visits the office on occasion.

picture via Layar.

Wish List Wednesday: Kiki De Montparnasse Opera Gloves Last week...

politicsfashionlife — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:25:35 -0500

Wish List Wednesday: Kiki De Montparnasse Opera Gloves

Last week we spoke of another lingerie authority’s newest endeavor into delicate little somethings for your feet. This week, with Valentine’s Day literally right around the corner (tomorrow), we decided we’d sexy it up a notch and go leather. Leather gloves to exact.

We are absolutely drooling (and so will your partner) over the Kiki De Montparnasse Opera Gloves Collection. They come in three distinct versions: Fingerless ($625), Full/Traditional ($695), and Button Up ($695). We haven’t decided which ones we love the most, but we have to say, it doesn’t matter — these bad boys will take you from the Opera, to dinner, and right to the end of your oh-so-special night. Va-va-voom.