Featured Boutique of Orange County

Olivia's Closet Boutique

If you like shopping in a boutique filled with your favorite things then you will love Olivia's Closet Boutique located at 22411 Antonio Parkway, Suite C220, in Plaza Antonio, Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688, Tel. 949- 709-7960.

I loved the fresh and charming atmosphere of this boutique.  The owner, Doni Orsini was busy getting ready for the holidays by decorating the boutique in festive ornaments hanging from the ceiling. The boutique setting was decorated in accents of black and white.  Spacious dressing rooms with the biggest mirror imagined adored the dressing room area.  Throughout the boutique were coordinated outfits in trendy fashion.  Shearling boots that were embellished lined the shelves, trendy handbags were draped throughout the boutique, accessories and jewelery filled one wall, so you can be sure to complete your look by finding that perfect accessory.

Many trends were featured throughout the boutique.  A chic faux fur leopard print handbag hung from a rack that attracted my attention and a little black leather studded biker shoulder bag hung on an adjacent rack.  Leopard prints and biker styles are in fashion.

When asking the owner what has been really popular and sold well she showed me a purple chiffon leopard print top.  Again, leopard print is on trend.

This information can be applied to trend forecasting by knowing that my personal thoughts, knowledge, research, and  ideas about what is on trend can be confirmed.

Transform Avant-garde Apparel for the Mass Market

Elie Saab's Fall 2010 Couture Collection was inspired by Venice's legendary opera house, La Fenice.  He used the ruched red velvet curtains, gilt and blue decorations, and chiffon and lace "liberally doused with sequins".  His focus was on classical draping, asymmetric single-shoulder designs, and exaggerated bat-winged styles.  The red gown needs a reduction of the asymmetric details at bust and waist and the removal of  fabric some on the skirt.  The gold sequin gown with bat wings needs to eliminate the wings and reduce the number of sequins.  The gown length could be shortened and the lower skirt width needs to be reduced.  The blue-green gown needs to be thinned out at the asymmetrical draping on the bust and arm.  It is too heavy at the bust area and the slit on the upper leg is too high.  The length of the gown needs to be shortened because it appears to be draging on the ground.

http://www.style.com/

Artwork Crosses Into The Fashion World

Designer Alexis Mabille's Spring 2010 collection is called "Graphic Surgery" , which crosses over to geometric themes of color blocking, cubist, and suprematist art. The model's hair were vertically spliced and bi-colored,  Even the their shoes were mismatched in color.

http://www.style.com/

Website Review

THE COLOR ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES  (CONTINUED)

As a trend forecasting professional I could see how this website and especially being a member would be very beneficial to help me make accurate color decisions in the direction of color selection and also patterns.  Their website talked about a new up-coming trend of Navajo prints that I was not aware of.  I see these prints and have always liked them and learned more about the history of the Navajo prints and its relationship to the Native American roots.  The use of warm gradation of colors used that arouses the felling of security and warmth was something I never realized.

After visiting this website I became more aware about Navajo prints and how it would be beneficial in reinforcing my trend forecasting abilities.

Website Review

THE COLOR ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES

This website was very informative!  First, the title lone said it all.  "The Color Association of the United States".  What a great find!  It started off talking about the opening of Julian Stanczak's Exhibition.  It thought who the heck is Julian Stanczak?  I learned that Stanzyck had been producing color-centric art since the early 1960's despite the loss of his arm at an early age.  apparently, his art doesn't mimic nature, but is very modern and stark.  The website can take you to further details about his work and samples of art work currently at his exhibition in New York.  His works on canvas include cut squares and rectangles painted in gradations of color that jump out at you.  If I were in New York I would visit the exhibit for possible inspiration!

Another feature on this website included an upcoming trend of Navajo prints in fashion and interior design.  There was a photograph of six people dressed in Navajo prints that included pants, jackets, and shirts, while laying on a pile of other Navajo prints.  The article tells about how the Navajo prints brings us to our Native American roots and that the pattern is usually used on heavy woolen coarse material.  It also explains the many colors used in Navajo prints and how graduated warm colors creates warm feelings for the relationship we have with nature like water, sunsets, and minerals.  It sounds so wonderful!

The company also offers a color consultancy division that includes color development for companies that need to revise their color strategy, methodologies, research, and technology.  Wow!  I'll be dealing with qualified professionals!

This website also has membership with benefits of receiving full color forecasting reports in selected categories of women's, men's, youth, or interior design.  Other benefits include inspirational images, forecasts on trends and influences of color, access to archives, and invitations to events.  The annual membership fee for a small business is $650.00 or a member @ large is $249.00 plus a one-time $300.00 registration fee.  I'll will give it some thought.  So many benefits!