Spotlight Designer: Mallory Musante Shoe Couturier

We introduce today our Spotlight Designer, 

Mallory Musante

for 

Mallory Musante Shoes

We had the honor of interviewing Mallory Musante here at Fashion RI. She is a truly inspiring and ambitious artist that is true to her passion in designing couture, custom shoe prints made to order to every woman's desire.

Since our interview, the buzz has spread and she has expanded. She now sets up Pop-Stores! Where you can try on your very best pairs and shop around for future pairs or order your own custom pair.

Her last Pop-up store was on Federal Hill, in Providence RI. With a little visit from Sara Faella (with a two year old in tow), she got to see for herself how beautiful and what an innovative way to showcase her work. We loved! Sara asked "So where is the next pop-up store?" Mallory would love to do a Pop-up store in Boston. Well that is one store we definitely make the trip to! 

We wish Mallory all the best as well as look forward to working together!

Love,

The Fashion RI Team

website 

http://www.MalloryMusanteShoes.com

facebook Fan Page

http://facebook.com/mallory.musante 

email

mmusante@mallorymusanteshoes.com

Spotlight June Coming Soon! Featuring Mallory Musante Shoes

June Spotlight will be up shortly, we are excited to have local Mallory Musante Shoe Designer as our Fashion RI Spotlight Designer!

Spotlight Designer:Julie Sygiel for Sexy Period

We introduce our Second Spotlight Designer, 

Julie Sygiel 

for 

Sexy Period Underwear

Finding harmony between fashion and function is no easy task for designers and thus we as consumers often sacrifice one or the other.  In terms of delicate womanly issues such as (gasp!) menstruation, being fashionable is virtually never an option.  How many of us have those pairs of faded, tired looking panties that we only keep for such an occasion? You know, the ones that get tucked away in a dark corner of the underwear drawer and only get worn for the most inconvenient 5-7 days of the month?  The ones you hate your significant other to see, much less launder?  At one point they were new and exciting but once a drop of blood hits them, they’re sent into period panty retirement- or even thrown away.  How annoying! Who wants to sacrifice fashion for bodily function?

                  Not me, not you, and certainly not Brown University alum Julie Sygiel, the founder and CEO of Sexy Period.  Much like the name suggests, Julie wants all ladies to feel sexy, even while on their period. 

Julie studied as a Chemical Engineer switching to Entrepreneurship and from there created a business plan to create Sexy Period. After obtaining a few male investors and Julie exclaims during the inverview at FashionRI “and who knew, 40 years ago we could never have gone before male board of investors for period underwear..” we couldn’t agree more and let’s face it women are valuable in the corporate world and the last thing they need to be worried about is spillage on the job!

Julie and team’s business plan then quickly extended into a 2.5 year market research and product development plan that included testing products for even “Worst Case Scenario’s” thus being said some fabrics took the cake: elastic lace, nylon/spandex and micropolyesters. It must be known these must have’s are manufactured right here in the U.S in Pennsylvania with their first mass production of 500 pairs sold out instantly and second production to begin in early May.

                  These fashion forward and comfortable undies are leak resistant back up underwear, they conveniently avoid “OMG” moments due to period spills made in sizes XS-XL. The silhouettes even range in style and we here at FashionRI just love the Boy-Short style Sexy Period undies.

                  You can find SexyPeriod on sale on their website at 

www.sexyperiod.com 

prices ranging from $32-$44.

 Thank you for letting us interview you we are huge fans of Sexy Period!

interviewed by Sara Faella & Chrissi Hennessey

written by Sara Faella & Lauren Ashley

Spotlight Designer:Elizabeth McLaughlin, Couture Swimwear Designer

Today we Introduce our very first Spotlight Designer, 
Elizabeth McLaughlin

At the age of 19 Liz has produced her first line, 
Isabela Royale Swimwear

Getting to Know The Artist

Elizabeth graduated and attended at the Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts from 2007-2009 where my majored in fine arts located in Rhode Island.  She dabbles and has experience with all mediums of art- painting, sculpting, drawing; “I love it all.” she states.  “Art is definitely an essential element of my philosophy on fashion- I want my pieces to convey an image, a theme, a cohesive idea.”

At an early age Elizabeth always knew exactly what is was she wanted to do, she goes to tell us here at Fashion RI~

“I’ve been interested in art since a young age and luckily my parents have been super supportive.  They let me take sewing classes as a kid and from there I started making clothes for my dolls.  Attending an artistic high school only furthered my skills and my interest so here I am at 19, working on my first line.” and we have to say, we are very impressed with this professional and sweet artist.

Isabela Royale Swimwear

These suits are very exotic and have a multi-cultural feel. Inspirations were pulled from different areas around the globe to create these exciting and original styles.  Comprised of bold colors and textures which best convey the imagery and themes that the designer…so desires. This particular collection is inspired by global cultures, places like Africa, the Carribbean, and Spain. She has incorporated accessories of shells, precious stones, and exotic beading.  Bold, bright prints are a favorite too.   Ruffles are so in vogue, as you can also see them also displayed in her designs. She expresses, “I like the way they create the illusion of curves when used as a trim along a triangle top or Brazilian-cut bottom.”

Due to the quality materials and time involved in designing and making them,  the price points on a couture bathing suit range from about $80-$140.

Which we believe here at FashionRI are extremely reasonable. We are ready to place our order!

Like many designers her creative process is really rather long- “I’m not someone who can force it or pull it from somewhere, I need to wait for the right moment.  I would like to further expand on my global and cultural ideas, maybe explore other areas of the world; use some tropical and safari styles perhaps.” And continues to state, “I like my styles to look very original and different than the stuff you can get in a catalogue or at a store.”

All of these couture bathing suits are custom to fit the clients body and accent all of their best features. You can  soon find “Isabela Royale Swimwear” on SaraFaellaCouture.com…in the meantime please contact isabelaroyale@yahoo.com or www.isabelaroyale.com.

New Feature: Our Monthly Spotlight!

FashionRI (in association with Faella Enterprises) is pleased to announce its fabulous NEW FEATURE!

OUR MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT

http://gallery.neoseeker.com/Ecto/photostream/747172959

Each month we will be doing a spotlight on a local designer, fashion artist, or model.  Our goal is to help introduce up and coming talent to our friends in the fashion industry of Rhode Island.  (In a small state like ours, networking is everything!)  Get to know these individuals through their exclusive FashionRI interview, browse photos of their work, explore their websites, learn about their retailing partnerships, and mark your calendars for any upcoming events showcasing their work.

Our very first spotlight will be on Swimwear Designer:
 Elizabeth McLoughlin.
Stay tuned for her spotlight feature in March. 

To inquire about being included in our interest piece or nominate a fellow fashion colleague, 
please email:
lauren@sarafaella.com or chrissy@sarafaella.com.

Pantone Color of The Year Press Release

As you all may know, year after year I post the Pantone Color of the Year for all to view, discuss and embrace. Well this year is no different. Last year I posted Pantone's 2010 color under the FashionRI Blog, so (drum roll) Here it is! HONEYSUCKLE!


Pantone Press Release 2010

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year for 2011:

PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle

Energizing Honeysuckle Lifts Spirits and Imparts Confidence to Meet Life's Ongoing Challenges

CARLSTADT, N.J., Dec. 9, 2010 – Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 18-2120 Honeysuckle, a vibrant, energetic hue, as the color of the year for 2011.

While the 2010 color of the year, PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, served as an escape for many, Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”
Eiseman continues, “The intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages. In fact, this color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar. Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer.”

Honeysuckle is guaranteed to produce a healthy glow when worn by both men and women. It's a striking, eye-catching hue that works well for day and night in women's apparel, accessories and cosmetics, and in men's ties, shirts and sportswear. Add a lively flair to interior spaces with Honeysuckle patterned pillows, bedspreads, small appliances and tabletop accessories. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Honeysuckle for a dynamic burst of energy in the family room, kitchen or hallway.

Honeysuckle products are currently available from a variety of manufacturers: 

Wedding Apparel A flattering hue for wedding attendant apparel and accessories, Honeysuckle is now one of the nearly 200 PANTONE WEDDING Colors available from Dessy, a leading manufacturer of bridesmaid, social-occasion and flower-girl dresses. PANTONE WEDDING exclusively from Dessy provides a collection of color tools to make it easy for brides to achieve perfectly color-coordinated weddings – from inspiration to “I do.” See www.dessy.com for more information. Paint Honeysuckle is one of 3,000 colors available in Pantone's line of superior-quality, eco-friendly paint. PANTONE Paints combine the accuracy of PANTONE Colors with the beauty of high-performance Dutch paints. See www.pantonepaints.com for more information. Visa Card Whether you're buying groceries, paying the dry cleaner or shopping for a pair of new pumps, now you can do it in style with a PANTONE Visa® Platinum Rewards Card in Honeysuckle, the 2011 color of the year. See www.pantone.com/visacardfor more information.

For over a decade, Pantone's Color of the Year declarations have influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries including fashion, home and industrial design. Past colors include:

PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010) PANTONE 14-0848 Mimosa (2009) PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris (2008) PANTONE 19-1557 Chili Pepper (2007) PANTONE 13-1106 Sand Dollar (2006) PANTONE 15-5217 Blue Turquoise (2005)

PANTONE 17-1456 Tigerlily (2004) PANTONE 14-4811 Aqua Sky (2003) PANTONE 19-1664 True Red (2002) PANTONE 17-2031 Fuchsia Rose (2001) PANTONE 15-4020 Cerulean (2000)

About Pantone 
Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world’s color authority for almost 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com. About X-Rite
X-Rite, Incorporated, is the global leader in color science and technology. The company, which now includes color industry leader Pantone, develops, manufacturers, markets and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services. X-Rite’s expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching color helps users get color right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental and medical. For further information, please visit www.xrite.com.