Fashion Funhouse Emporium

I love coffee. In fact as I sit here writing this now, I have 8 cups brewing. I love fashion as you may have noticed. There is a Starbucks and a fashion designer on every corner of the New York streets. But you would you sport a t-shirt with the Starbucks logo even if it was designed by top talents?

Photos: Courtesy photos. Top to bottom: Alexander Wang, Billy Reid Men's, Billy Reid Women's, Sophie Theallet.

In celebration of Starbucks 40th Anniversary, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) tapped past winners to design limited edition t-shirts to be sold online at Starbucks and in select Nordstrom stores. Alexander Wang, Sophie Theallet, and Billy Reid have added their style to cotton tees in homage to the chain's caffeinated beverages.

There's no mention of whether the profits from these $85 tees go to the CFDA, Nordstrom or Starbucks themselves. However the designers selected were paid a fee to participate. Though die-hard fans of Alexander Wang, Sophie Theallet and Billy Reid will be able to purchase this collectors item inspired by the coffee brand.

CHRISHABANA

Designer Chris Habana resurrects goth idolatry in for the pop eye in his signature line CHRISHABANA. His style is often duplicated, but with each season he keeps churning out new and fresh jewelry that sets the trends. Early on in his career, he caught the attention of Gen Art winning Fresh Faces 2004 and New Garde in 2007. He's collaborated with Oak NYC A-OK, Hood by Air, and Urban Outfitters with more to follow.

CHRISHABANA held a small presentation for his namesake line and his off-shoot label MY ENEMY during New York Fashion Week off-site on West 20th Street. Models were styled with his pieces in addition to displays throughout the venue.

Check out some of the pieces from CHRISHABANA's Spring 2012 collection below. Neon is not just the color to have for clothing come next spring, but this trend setter added the highlighter hues to his jewelry as well. And of course, it wouldn't be CHRISHABANA without dark and devious metal pieces.

Photos: Courtesy of CHRISHABANA

Visit CHRISHABANA to pick up his current collection.

Chris Benz

He calls himself "the prince of color" a play on the "prince of darkness" obviously. Quirky, cool and fun designer Chris Benz doesn't do silly clothes though. Raised in Seattle with an ability to translate what he sees into well-crafted sportswear, Benz has been showing his own original take on women's clothing since he started out on his own. He's only been showing since 2007, but his collections were revealed with critical acclaim. Still not a household name, it doesn't seem to matter to his following who demand something different from their everyday clothes.

Colors: White, black, orange, yellow, green and blue

Materials: Silks, cotton blends, beading.

Loved Looks:

View Full Collection on NyMag

This collection was fun and full of color but as always with Chris Benz, its not to the level of absurdity. Hes one of the few originals in American sportswear showing at New York Fashion Week because its anything but boring. I loved the Alejandro Ingelmo collaboration cute sneakers paired with skirts. For those of us on fashion shoots and are our feet all day (and I'm sure other working fashionable city girls) any promotion of comfortable footwear is welcome. Its hard to pull of a massive mix of graphic prints and bold color, but its done right with the circle black and white pencil skirt and the color pop blouse. A mixed print kimono style dress can go day to evening soiree easily. Baggy pants with a orange stripe shirt and sneakers work for that casual, but stylish girl.

Unloved Looks:

Not "unloved" per say, but I don't know how to feel about the all beaded kelly green jacket and skirt. My first thought or word association was "Astro-turf." If he would've glued a gold ball on it, it may have ended up on Lady Gaga. It still might, actually.

People, Music and Scene:

On the other side of Lincoln Center, in Avery Fischer Hall models lined up in the hallway close to the balcony overlooking the rest of the locale. The DJ in the corner was spinning tunes I recognized as being of that Warholain Factory vibe. Lou Reed's Vicious and Peter Sarstedt's Where do you Go To played while models stood still on crates. I didn't see Chris Benz with his pink hair lurking anywhere, but there were a few recognizable faces. Johnny Wier (who I later saw get bum-rushed by a woman while he was entering the tents --"I love you. You're my favorite skater" she said. TV personality and design pro Nate Berkus, Kelly Osborne, Jordin Sparks all came to lend their support. I caught a few socialites and editors as well. A nice low key presentation besides the celeb-hawkers, most enjoyed the bar on the balcony.

Four out of four Karl Lagerfelds

Tracy Reese

Jamar, Fashion Funhouse Emporium's fashion week correspondent is often snagged and photographed by street photographers for his unique and edgy style. He headed to the Tracy Reese show for me. He gives us his rundown after the Introduction below.

When it comes to overlapping shows, I'm glad to have another team member to cover shows that must be seen. As for this show, Tracy Reese, he was thrilled at what he saw.

Tracy Reese is one of the more commercially successful shows we get to attend over here at the Emporium. And as it goes, we promote fashion for everyone, so this was right up our alley. The Detroit native, launched her timeless cheerfully feminine line in 1998. Since, she has designed off-shoots like Plenty by Tracy Reese, a more casual everyday wear, and Frock! by Tracy Reese for those who covet just dresses. Her staying power in the fashion industry is because of her distinct point of view. She knows who she is dressing- the woman who wants easy, yet individual chic. The CFDA board member continues to expand with shoes, and even home candles.

Colors: coral and blue, pearl white, light greens, neon oranges, and black

Materials: Gauzy linens, silk jerseys, a few heavy knits, lace, and techno-fabrics.

Loved Looks:

View full collection on Style.com

On Sept. 11 a decade ago, Reese was supposed to show at New York Fashion Week for the first time. She said she was honored to be included on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. She said "At the end of the day, New York is unlike any other city in the world. Everyone worked together to pick ourselves back up."

As with most of the collections coming out of New York Fashion Week, Tracey Reese was all about feminine clothing with a sporty take on ease and comfort.  She showed her collection with matching hats, parasols, and shoes, which added a great element visually. Sheer, neon, athletica, outwears, florals, lightweight leather, and of course short shorts were all the trends presented in her spring collection.

Unloved Looks:

There were a few prom and homecoming dresses that were a miss in the line up, but that's part of what she does, right?  She's contemporary and it sells.

People, Music and Scene:

It was a celeb-packed Lincoln Center show with Solange Knowles, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Aisha Tyler, Angela Basset. There were soap stars, high profile stylists and models. June Ambrose and  Mary Alice Stephenson added some strictly fashion cred to the front row. The tree back drop added to the pleasant lady village vibe of the collection.

Rating:

Four out of four Karl Lagerfelds.

Parkchoonmoo

With her Spring 2102 collection, Parkmoonchoo chose an abstract art influence of color soaked garments. Demi Park admits to have been deeply inspired by Korea's beauty. The colors used are thus reminiscent of her Korean heritage. With her third season showing at New York Fashion Week, she's sparked interest with her innovative architecturally influenced garments.

Colors: Black, red, blue, white, orange, red

Materials: Chiffon, elastic, silk, and leather.

Loved Looks:

View Full Collection at Elle

While the the inspiration of the show was to seem as if garments were dyed haphazardly in color, there were still Parkchoonmoo's signature black and white looks. The most intriguing pieces though, were the silk dresses with blots of red and cobalt blue. A silk loose draped dress with just a singular blue splash proved that when the designer does minimal, its exceptional. A white suit with a simple silk top of blue and red are easily wearable without too much distraction.

Unloved Looks:

The bandage elastic belts were either intentionally askew...or not.

People, Music and Scene:

The venue was an easy wide open space with plenty of seating and few left standing. With a white curtain and benches, a drum beat made for a serene feeling. Though there weren't many recognizable faces in the crowd, it wasn't your typical fashion show crashers crowd. To head over to this off-site venue, the crowd had to be in the know and were there to check out the collection and not bump elbows with a celebrity.

Rating:

Three and three quarter Karl Lagerfelds

Nicholas K

Jamar, Fashion Funhouse Emporium's fashion week correspondent is often snagged and photographed by street photographers for his unique and edgy style. He headed to the Nicholas K show for me. He gives us his rundown after the Introduction below.

Nicholas and Christopher Kunz founded Nicholas K in 2003. The brother-sister team, unlike other many other newer designers have paid their dues and learned the ropes before stepping out to found their own line. Nicholas (yes,she) worked with Calvin Klein, DKNY, Polo Ralph Lauren, Coach and Nautica. Christopher K oversees the business aspect of the line with his MBA from Eller Graduate School of Management in Marketing and Finance. With stores in America, Canada, Asia, and the Middle East, it seems thier slightly funky wardrobe staples are staying steady.

Colors: Metallic,white, gray, brown, off-white, sand, blue, olive, lavender, violet, and black.

Materials: Suede, tech-metallic blends, cotton, jersey blends, and silk

Loved Looks:

View full collection at NYmag.com

This season the designers sent down what I [Jamar] call post-apocalyptic-gypsy. The details of the collection included head scarves for the girls and desert-walking draped layers for the guys. Shoes completed the looks with platform wedges for the girls and laced oxfords for the guys. The fringe bracelets added to a few outfits will most likely set a trend for the spring/summer season. Nicholas K paired mesh leggings with cotton and silk cotton jersey, suedes, cotton poplin, and tech-metallic woven nylon materials that gave a instant touch of sport that we have seen a lot so far this season. Dresses were bias cut, trench coats are multi-functional, tanks and shorts are staples for each look, light weight scarves are draped around the neck three to four times giving into the effortless cool look.

Unloved Looks:

If we have to put something here, and be over critical, some looks were similar to the aesthetic of All Saints Spitafields. Then again, this can be said about any designer who stays with the rock-chic basics.

People Music and Scene:

An early day starting at 9AM on day 1 at Lincoln Center, through no fault of the designer or the promoters, these are hard shows to fill. As Amber is afriad of daylight, I got dibs on this show. You can bet many die-hard fashion fans who stood in line were able to grab some of those empty seats. That doesn't mean they didn't do thier best to get some name drops in the door. Actor and Musician Eric West, no relation to Kanye sat front row. Of course, self-made celebrity and public relations diva Kelly Curtone wouldn't miss a show her firm puts on.

Rating:

Three out of four Karl Lagerfelds.

Charlotte Ronson

Jamar, Fashion Funhouse Emporium's fashion week correspondent is often snagged and photographed by street photographers for his unique and edgy style. He headed to the Charlotte Ronson show for me. He gives us his rundown after the Introduction below.

Charlotte Ronson has a loyal following. As mentioned every season, her price points never teeter from where she started combining quality with her signature bohemian style.  Recently its not just America that's been showing her love. In the Fall of 2010, Ronson signed a deal to open stores throughout China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Macau. She even staged her first runway show in China.

Colors: blue, black, taupe, grey, red, ivory, silver, orange rust, fuchsia, mint.

Materials: denim, cotton, linen, jersey, lace, chiffon

Loved Looks:

View Full Collection on Style.com

Ronson paired soft cotton linens and knits cotton jersey, lace and soft silk chiffon along side denim to ultimately tie the collection together.  There was a distinct prairie feel to it. Like other designers who just don't want to be too sweet, she had to add "edge" with the belts used as choker collars. The crochet details also seemed to raise a few eyebrows, in a good way though. Midi length skirts were ramped as well as cute little lace dresses with cropped knit sweaters over them.

Unloved Looks:

Some of the elements of the collection can come off as done before (cough*overalls*cough) especially in Ronson's past seasons. Though, that doesn't mean they wont sell come spring. Stick with what works.

People, Music and Scene:

Lincoln Center shows are always a frenzy of press, random celebrities, and fashion laggards, and that's no exception for the Charlotte Ronson show. Every season its a madhouse with as many celebs they can manage to pack in. Kelly Osborn and Angela Simmons looking all BFF (Dad Russell was there too.) Joy Bryant, Audrina Partridge, Elie Goulding and Nickly Hilton sat front row. Some chicks from SNL were there: Nasid  Pedrad and Abby Elliot (daughter of  Woogie from Something about Mary- Chris Elliot). Socialite Peaches Geldof sitting next to a bored looking man friend. Also, whats A Charlotte Ronson show without a family aspect? Mom Ann Dexter Jones was there looking lovely as was half-sister Annabelle. Samantha also took part, although safely tucked behind the decks.

Rating:

Two out of four Karl Lagerfelds

Nanette Lepore

Nanette Lepore is one of the few veteran designers we get to see. She began her own label in 1992 with a mere $5000 loan from her abstract painter father.  Since, her line has grown into a world-wide brand with boutiques in New York, Los Angles, Las Vegas, Tokyo and London. This season marks a return to her playful feminine designs that she became known for.

Colors: Birights- citron, orange, green, blue

Materials: Knits, canvas, lace, cotton

Loved Looks:

In a season so far of bright and neon colors, Nanette took the idea and ran the furthest with it. Perhaps she's feeling revitalized by her twelve year old daughter, Violet, who sat front row in her adorable neon yellow Doc Martens. Keeping in mind that her core customer is young women in the contemporary market, the showcase was a brilliant display of fun garments. While a piece or two may translate to the downtown girls, its the uptown crowd that Lepore designs for. Its as if she's dressing daughters whose mothers are wearing Oscar and Carolina.  A monochromatic highlighter yellow blazer and skirt is preppy and modern. A young star heading to the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice awards can wear the blue lagoon knit dress and not look as if she's Britney gone bad. For the Gossip Girl types, there are plenty of cute dresses and separates. For the older set, if the thought of head to toe neon is terrifying, the blouses, handbags and shoes are a more tame neon trend addition to your wardrobe.

Unloved Looks:

If you're not the type to head to the beach house for the summer, there wasn't much for you.

People, Music and Scene:

Sam Bisbee and his live band, clad in neon shirts played while the models shined thier light on the runway.  As with all Lincoln Center shows, the random celebrity factor was there. Stanley Tucci, Kelly Rutherford, Ariana Huffington, Tony Soprano's sister Aida Tuturro, former MTV VJ Karen Duffy, the fairy from the Christmas movie Scrooged and Austin from way back to Project Runway's first season.  Every seat, including those way up in peanut heaven had one of Sam Bisbee's CD's on it.  At the end of the show Aida Tuturrro (who looked thrilled to be there) got up and danced with Nanette Lepore while the band continued to play. Mickey Boardman interrupted for a hug. The bright lights, the neon clothes and the live band all added to the pick-me-up atmosphere. Maybe Im getting older and less cynical, but it was all very adorable.

Rating:

Four out of Four Karl Lagerfelds.

Rachel Roy

With the launch of her own fashion line in 2005, Rachel Roy's empire has been steadily growing. With her luxury namesake label, her contemporary line Rachel Rachel Roy for Macy's and a recent collaboration with basketball player Amar'e Stoudemire, she shows no signs of slowing down. For the Spring 2012 season she takes us on a trip to Colonial Vietnam, inspired by the 1992 film version of Marguerite Duras’ “The Lover.”

Colors: Black, ivory, red, pink, orange

Materials: Organza, silk, twill, satin, linen

Loved Looks:

View Full collection on style.com

I'll admit it, I'm a fan of Rachel Roy. Its hard to be unbiased. The tailored black pants with a tie at the waist fit to perfection and paired with a floral graphic print shirt and neutral accessories is easy, refined and sophisticated. The ivory dress with brown leather has details in all the right places and could find a place in any woman's wardrobe year after year. The light tan leather band bracelets with a hint of color on the sides can be paired with almost any outfit along with the shoes as well. Perhaps the most stunning was a grey knit dress over top a coral-red slip. It had the perfect balance of sexy and classy. A sleeveless white suit and crop pants are an essential for any busy woman this spring.

Unloved Looks:

Compared to the rest of the collection, the pink shorts paired with a gray knit sweater seemed overly simple.

People Music and Scene:

The small Avery Fischer balcony was a bit overcrowded and hot especially with the star power packed in one tiny place. Kim Kardashian, Molly Sims, Veronica Webb, Margherita Missoni, Angela Simmons, and Corrine Bailey Rae. Even star make-up artist Bobbi Brown over saw and did the fresh faced looks. While her inspiration was "The Lover" the music was from the Hanna soundtrack.

Rating:

Three and a half Karl Lagerfelds.

Money Coach, Author and TV Personality Farnoosh Torabi

When fashion magazines have questions about money, they call on personal finance expert Farnoosh Torabi. Her advice has been sought by Glamour, Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan among many others. She's a regular face on television programs. Maybe you've seen her on Tyra? She's even had her own TV show on SoapNet called Bank of Mom and Dad in which she coached young women who had bad budgeting habits (many of them fashion over spenders) to be responsible for their own financial success.

She also writes a column for AM New York a daily morning newspaper in New York City. With fashion week on her mind, she asked me to give some tips about How to Get a Fashion Make-over on the Cheap.

This all got me thinking, what does a financial expert think "investment" pieces and fashion emergencies? She graciously agreed to five minutes of her time.

What's the least expensive fashion purchase that you've ever bought that you love? Excluding make-up!

I have to say -- a pair of faux pearl studs from Forever 21. I think they were 4 bucks and every time I wear them, they add a bit of preppy to my work looks. 

If there is a such thing as an investment piece, what is it in your closet?

It's my timeless Burberry trench coat. Every time I wear it I feel like a million bucks and it dresses up any outfit I'm wearing. Rainy days don't seem so bad with it.

Is a fashion emergency a legitimate excuse to use a credit card?

Nice try...but, no. Not unless you can pay it off the credit card balance in full the following month and avoid interest!

Read the AM New York Article Fashion Makeover on the Cheap

Read All About Money Coach, Author and TV Personality Farnoosh Torabi