New Brands

Fashion Spotlight: Casualmere with Exclusive Coupon Code!

by Kirsten on November 22, 2010

At the core of every wardrobe should be a strong set of basics. With a basic set of tees, you can create a variety of outfits by adding just simple accessories like belts, jewelry, cardigans, or scarves.

What I find most important with my own basics, is a high-quality, super-soft knit. Usually I fall in love with my solid color tees, and hate having to part with them. For instance, when I stain them, or they start to fall apart after much love and wear.

Casualmere is a perfect way to add these necessities into your closet. Comprised of high-quality viscose made from bamboo, their items feature the highest ecologically sourced bamboo content – typically 100 percent, with some pieces incorporating 5 percent spandex for additional stretch. Their founder, Dennis Fasone, had recently experienced the unbelievably soft hand-feel of viscose made from bamboo, and he knew the rest of the world would also fall in love!

What I love best about this new line, is the amazing prices. It is so rare to find basics with such a high-quality, amazing feel without spending an arm and a leg. Generally I view those types of purchases as a long-term investment, but this makes it so simple to add to your wardrobe without having to spend a lot!

What makes this fashion spotlight even better, is that Casualmere is offering Traveling Fashionista readers an exclusive discount code through December 15, 2010! Use code ‘TF4B’ for 20% off your total order, not including shipping!

I tried their long-sleeve tee as well as their unisex flat knit scarf. As soon as they arrived, I was in love! They are exactly the type of material I go after in my own wardrobe. I tend to be that person walking around the department store feeling everything before I decide to try it on. If it doesn’t feel good, I don’t want it. Casualmere feels amazing.

The long-sleeve tee is a perfect length. It covers just a few inches below my waist band, which is perfect to be worn with either jeans or leggings. It’s got the perfect blend of just tight enough, but with plenty of room and give to not be skin-tight. Which I hate. Their scarf is of average length, and I picked up the off white color, perfect to blend with just about any other color in my wardrobe.

Currently they don’t have a huge product offering, and I am hoping (fingers-crossed) that they develop more of their line. Thankfully they carry short and long-sleeve tees and a few other awesome options, and with that, I am a happy girl.

Here are some of their other items offered; what do you think?!

I definitely suggest picking up a shirt or two for yourself, or even a loved one. It’s perfect this time of year, and you will make some lucky recipient very happy! And with the exclusive promo code, you have no reason not to!

Love, K.

{ 1 comment }

New Travel Fashion Collection: Mus by Myriam Ullens

by Kirsten on May 11, 2010

For those that travel the world, whether it be for business or pleasure, a common complaint is finding comfortable and fashionable clothing to not only wear while traveling, but to also pack and bring with you on your trip. Space is scarce, multi-functionality is key, and one still wants to look fashionable and stylish while on the go. This has long been a common complaint among the jet-setting women of the world, and I include myself in that list. Most women want to feel beautiful and comfortable while traveling, but we often have to forsake one for the other. Do you choose to focus on your appearance and forget the comfort? Or do you choose to be comfortable and forget the fashion?

Myriam Ullens, a front-row regular to both Dior and Chanel, and wife to Belgian industrialist, Guy Ullens, is launching Mus, a high-end knitwear line designed for fashionable women on the move. Although Myriam has the means to buy couture, owns a few fashion boutiques, and travels the globe frequently, she still feels there are clothes that she can’t get her hands on, clothes that are imperative to her travel needs of being easy, comfortable, and elegant. For a woman that travels over 300 days a year, she also pours her energies into charity work for disadvantaged children, cancer patients and contemporary art, which culminated with the 2007 opening of the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, the site of a major Dior retrospective in 2008.

Read all about Ullens’ Mus line for travel fashion after the jump!

{ 6 comments }

Easton – Indonesian Premium Denim Line

by Kirsten on April 12, 2010

Those that know me, know I have a huge love of denim, premium denim to be exact, which is why I was excited to receive this new denim line’s lookbook in my inbox. Easton jeans, proudly and ethically made in Indonesia, is introducing three cuts, two for men, and one unisex. I love to feature international brands, especially when they are coming to the US market. It’s a perfect way to bridge what is current in global fashion with my love of faraway places.

view the full lookbook and read all about Easton after the jump

{ 2 comments }

Rue de Jeans – Brand Designed for Travel

by Kirsten on April 1, 2010

Rue de Jeans features an elastic logo

Bridging together denim and travel is music to my ears. Today, Ross Tucker of Women’s Wear Daily, wrote an article introducing Rue de Jeans, a new denim line by Cindy Yun, designed to provide consumers a comfortable and fashionable jean that can be worn on a flight from London to Los Angeles and immediately out for a night on the town.

Constant travel has always been a part of Yun’s life. Born in Seoul, she grew up in both Hawaii and California. Her past work experience included working for Anderson Consulting and Yahoo before getting a degree in fashion merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and later opened her own showroom. These jobs required frequent travel both nationally and internationally, prompting Yun to design a denim line that will no longer require her to change clothes upon arrival to her destination.

I can totally sympathize with this issue, which is why I wrote a previous post about the importance of a comfortable and fashionable outfit for air travel. Knowing that I may soon be able to buy a pair of jeans designed for this specific purpose in mind is really exciting!

Due to ship initial inventories next month, the prices will range from $150-$250 and has been picked up by specialty retailers including Scoop, Atrium, Ron Herman, and H Lorenzo. Yun is also in talks of bringing her line to Bloomingdale’s and Barneys New York. Rue de Jeans is based out of Los Angeles, and financially backed by Yun.

Here is some detail provided by the WWD article:

Use of lightweight premium Italian and Japanese fabrics with 2 to 3 percent stretch is a key to achieving comfort, but Yun has gone further by adjusting other details. Instead of using a traditional leather logo patch, Yun has developed a 2-inch elastic insert that sports the logo and gives the waist room to expand when the wearer is sitting.

“I wanted it to be more of a stealth element on the logo,” said Yun.

The women’s collection centers around three core fits — a skinny, straight and flared boot cut — and also features corduroy and velveteen bottoms. There are several limited edition styles, including the Etoile, which features a waistband studded with Crystallized-Swarovski Elements. Some items are hand-sewn and all the jeans feature red stitching on the inside seams, adding a design element for women who roll their jeans.

I particularly like the idea behind making the logo with stretch material. Very smart and different, which is exactly what a new denim designer needs to provide to both retailers and consumers these days. “The retailers want something different,” she said. “They’re asking, ‘Can you give us more comfort, anything that is one more step beyond the premium level?”

I look forward to seeing the first lookbook for Rue de Jeans. I can be pretty picky about my denim as I hate embellishments that take too much away from the original design. I am a firm believer in ‘less is more’ with my jeans. Make a beautiful cut with great material, but please don’t go overboard on everything else.

What do you think? Can you see yourself buying a jean that promises to give more comfort and style to your traveling? Please share in the comments below!

Love, K

{ 0 comments }