Not many moons ago, on September 20, Neiman Marcus at Boca Raton at Town Center hosted the launch of their CUSP initiative in South Florida. Launched in 2006, CUSP is a shop-in-shop concept that offers fashionable customers a contemporary milieu of apparel, shoes, handbags and accessories. Neiman Marcus has always been known to curate some of the most fashionable and on-trend finds from the leading names in the fashion business and this is why CUSP is so refreshing—because it underscores upcoming designers and fresh talent lending a contemporary perspective to its classic lineage.
Gradually, CUSP intends to be a fixture in all Neiman Marcus stores across the country. For their Boca debut, four local stylists— David Fittin, Brandon Fogel,Teddy Gunter and Katie Wright (Neiman Marcus’ very own style advisor) put together a set of looks that showcased some of the season’s hottest trend stories. Akin to street style, each stylist’s presentation had its unique flavor and presented a rich variety of combining the season’s newest looks for work and play.
Before the show kicked off, fashionistas enjoyed sweet nibbles and sassy sips while getting pampered at the Dior nail bar and Tom Ford makeover station. Since Thursday is a great way to herald the weekend, a well-equipped bar took the sting out of the week.
We have our favorite pick from each “mood board” the stylists presented us with:
Stylist: Katie Wright
Our Hot Pick:
Jacket: Robert Rodriguez
Top: Elizabeth & James (white peplum)
Skirt: Helmut Lang
Shoes: CUSP
Bag: Stella McCartney
Jewelry: CUSP
Why: Asymmetry and peplum together create so much drama in black and white. We also can’t help loving the statement broach and electric blue pumps! Give or take a few items and this look can be easily down sized for daywear. We can bet you can survive the Floridian winter in this ensemble, throw in some stockings if you don’t enjoy the chills that will make an appearance later in the year.
Stylist: Teddy Gunter
Our Hot Pick:
Pants: Seven For All Mankind, black and gold brocade
Shoes: Louboutin platform sandals
Hat: Stash
Bag: Valentino
Why: Plum and emerald make a good marriage. These are two must-have hues in your winter palette. The leather vest and the Valentino bag with brocade pants make you want to catch the last train to Paris. This look was inspired by “trains” a la Harry Potter and Louis Vuitton’s pricey train campaign. The set (for their Fall 2012 show) itself cost a whopping $8 million. Price tag aside, we can see why Vuitton chose to add so much oomph to trains—sometimes they can have that mystical, muse like poetic feel to them with the partings and meetings they bring about in their course.
Stylist: Brandon Fogel
Our Hot Pick:
Sweater: Helmut Lang
Scarf: Alexander McQueen animal print
Pants: Mother black glitter jeans
Coat: Helmut Lang
Shoes: Alexander McQueen booties
Why: So many reasons. First off, we love the 90s, grunge story that’s been told here. The touch of leather in the Helmut Lang coat is a subtle reminder of a vintage trend and yet the cut is so chic and modern. Next, we love the animal print scarf. Prints are going to be a big deal for a few months now, so invest in a few good pieces. Finally, the booties hold their own and neutralize the sparkle in the jeans.
Stylist: David Fittin
Our Hot Pick:
Pants: Robert Rodriguez
Jacket: Alice + Olivia Cecily Military Jacket
Cat eyed sunnies: Tom Ford
Why: Lace is very much in business this season but what we love apart from its sensuous feel is that stylists are teaming it with masculine silhouettes to create harmony in androgyny. Lace dresses may well be the norm, but we thought that pants are oh-so-original. We also loved the Cecily Military jacket: brocade and the metal buttons ooze with stately opulence. And besides, can black and red ever go out of style?
About Jo:
Jyoti “Jo” Peswani is a fashion maven. As a Chanel-obsessed, published fashion and lifestyle journalist, she definitely has a nose for everyday style. In addition to being an award-winning copy girl, Jo runs her own marketing and writing consultancy, The Idea Is {In}. Jo currently curates her inspirations, observations and ideas on her recently launched blogwww.theideaisin.com/blog. She’s a strong advocate of living (and dressing) creatively and takes great pleasure in denying the existence of “the box.”
