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events fashion week new orleans southern fashion designer

Amanda deLeon Spring Runway Show

Last Friday night I attended two New Orleans Fashion Week shows at the Ogden Museum, one of which was Louisiana native Amanda deLeon’s Spring 2012 collection. I met the designer back in May and was afforded the chance to see her previous collection up close and personal. Touching the high end textiles and examining the exquisite craftsmanship of her designs was a treat. Amanda utilizes luxurious fabrics such as blanket soft lambskin leather and wispy chiffon, often in the same dress to create a tough yet feminine aesthetic. While spring is admittedly not her favorite season to design for Amanda took her signature looks and incorporated them into a collection that I loved. Egyptian like collars, pin sharp silhouettes and ethereal, almost cocoon like caplets were only surpassed by my favorite dress of the evening, a fringed frock with a delicate sheer veil ensconcing the swishy details. The color palette remained soft in pale metallic gold, sea foam green, and shades of blue that made me lust for a Caribbean beach.

If you didn’t get a chance to go to the show I’d highly recommend checking out Amanda’s website to learn more about her work, follow her on Tumblr, Facebook  or shop at her Etsy store. She’s definitely one Southern fashion designer to keep your eye on!

amanda deleon
southern design week
New Orleans fashion week
Amanda deLeon
Amanda deLeon runway show

So did you go to the show? What was your favorite look of the evening?

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local flavor new orleans southern fashion designer winter wear

Kickstarter: Lia Molly in New Orleans

I’m a sucker for a good Southern fashion designer. Slow Southern Style favorite Seema Sudan has been featured  here, here, and  here and while her knitwear collection Lia Molly is arguably one of the most successful clothing lines based in New Orleans it is still considered a small scale operation, at least by most factory standards. I’ll let Seema tell y’all the story herself via the video below but she really needs your support to take her productions from overseas to the Big Easy.

Seema really appreciates a good thing when she sees it, that good thing being New Orleans. This town is full of inspiration and it is really neat to see so many fashion designers insisting on living here, not only for inspiration  but to plant firm roots and watch their businesses succeed. Head over to Lia Molly’s Kickstarter page and give this project a little boost. You’ll feel good about not only supporting one of New Orleans’ finest but helping an industry grow.


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events freret street jewelry local flavor louisiana new orleans mens fashion southern fashion designer

Objects of Adornment Opening Night

Copper, feathers, and fur from Lacey Dupre

I can’t believe how great opening night for Objects of Adornment went! Since its inception two years ago Slow Southern Style has been all about showcasing Southern based designers and I was thrilled with the opportunity to share four of my favorites in an intimate setting. 



While the internet is the easiest, fastest way to discover fresh talent it is an entirely different experience seeing the work in person. We had every aesthetic represented, from Alicia Zenobia’s experimental hair dresses, classic style courtesy of Ben Azevedo’s bow ties, fanciful headpieces from Kaci Thomassie and swamp art thanks to Lacey Dupre’s nutria and bone necklaces.


I want to give massive amounts of thanks to Du Mois Gallery for helping me bring a little fashion to Freret Street, Lazy Magnolia for providing the beer, and the mannequins on loan from Armoire Boutique, Buffalo Exchange, Denise Lyons, Gera Kirkland, and Rachel Elizabeth Adams.

There are tons of photos from the evening on the Slow Southern Style Facebook page so make sure to check those out as well! And don’t forget that Objects of Adornment will be at Du Mois Gallery now through the end of October. All artwork on Freret Street is tax free for an extra incentive to add a wearable work of art to your collection, handmade right here in Louisiana.


Objects of Adornment
Du Mois Gallery
4921 Freret Street
New Orleans, LA

My good friend Rebecca with her boyfriend Nick

Kaci Thomassie and her boyfriend. It’s sort of ridiculous how cute they are together, right?
Fiber art headbands by Kaci Thomassie
Antique sewing machine, bow tie work station
Selection of luxurious silk bow ties from Ben Azevedo

Sweet blush fascinator by Kaci Thomassie
Lacey Dupre with her incredible nutria fur necklaces

Posing with Alicia Zenobia’s incredible hair dresses
My sister’s favorite piece from Lacey Dupre

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events fashion week new orleans southern fashion designer

New Orleans Fashion Week

New Orleans Fashion Week is at it again from October 15th-21st with a slew of events geared towards not only taking fashion to the forefront but making it an actual industry here in the Big Easy. The week’s activities will be comprised of not only parties and shopping events but educational workshops geared towards individuals interested in photography, writing, fashion illustration, and of course design. While last season’s shows were invite only this time there will be a limited number of tickets sold to the general public on the NOLA Fashion Week website. Are you planning on attending any of the weeks’ festivities? Let me know which ones you are going to and maybe I will see you there!


Support NOLA Fashion Week from Joseph Miner on Vimeo

Tuesday, October 18
Martine Chaisson Gallery
6:30 P.M. Camrich Mann Presentation
8:00 P.M. Andrea Loest Presentation
Wednesday, October 19
Ogden Museum
6:30 P.M. Rogersliu
8:00 P.M. Blackout
Thursday, October 20
Ogden Museum
6:30 P.M. Varela + Brooks
8:00 P.M. Matthew Arthur Apparel Architecture
Friday, October 21
Ogden Museum
6:30 P.M. Annie Griffin
8:00 P.M. Amanda deLeon
9:30 P.M. Jolie & Elizabeth
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bridal etsy louisiana northshore southern fashion designer weddings

kc thomassie designs

Ladies let’s face it, nothing makes us feel glitzier than a tuft of frivolousness sitting atop our head. Southerners are known for their fanciful headgear, from the Kentucky Derby, to church hats even the crowns our Mardi Gras queens wear we love resembling peacocks.Recent Samford University graduate Kaci Thomassie satisfies cravings for the fantastical with her handmade, one of a kind creations here in Louisiana.
.Tres Femme KTD Couture Headpiece

Drawing from her degree in theater with a concentration in costume design and inspired by vintage clothing Kaci works with a variety of materials including feathers, leather, unique fabrics, vintage buttons, and beads. It’s no wonder why her fascinators are sought after by brides to be, especially on the North Shore. Check out her work in person at this Saturday’s Objects of Adornment at Du Mois Gallery on Freret Street. Can’t make it to the opening? The show will run from October 8th until the end of the month.

KTD Couture Pink and Black Feather Fascinator
Peacock Statement Necklace
Keep up with Kc Thomassie Designs on Facebook.

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events jewelry new orleans southern fashion designer

Objects of Adornment: An art show for fashion

Style is what comes from a careful culmination of exquisite, highly personal objects of adornment. From a simple bow tie to a handmade necklace finishing touches add personality and depth to our outward appearance. Clothing functions as our own wearable art that we can take with us wherever we go and is our most accessible way to express ourselves.

I’m really pleased to announce a project that I’ve been working on for the past few months with some of my favorite Louisiana fashion designers. You are officially invited to Objects of Adornment, an art show at Du Mois Gallery featuring the works of Alicia Zenobia, Ben Azevedo, Lacey Dupre, and Kaci Thomassie. Each of these artists have a fresh perspective on fashion and are creating unique, wearable pieces of art in their own way. Even if you can’t make it to the opening the show will be up for the month of October so you can view the pieces at your convenience.

RSVP on the Facebook event page and I can’t wait to see everyone there!

Objects of Adornment: An art show for fashion
October 8th 5:00-8:00pm


Du Mois Gallery
4921 Freret Street
New Orleans, LA

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sheridan french southern fashion designer texas

Texas designer Sheridan French

If you are into bright colors and tribal prints than you’ll love what Sheridan French has to offer you. I don’t exactly remember when or how I discovered Sheridan’s blog, Southern Eclectic, but I remember anxiously awaiting for her clothing line to come out. Her aesthetic is bright and punchy, with a strong Eastern feel both in cut and the beautiful, saturated hues seem quite Indian to me. 





Click through to read the full interview

First off I love how bright and playful all of the patterns you use are! Everything almost feels like resort wear. Can you tell us a little bit about your line?

I don’t do neutrals well. Ha! Seriously though, I just adore bright colors. They make you FEEL good. Literally! If you are down or not having the best day, throw on a bright pink top or fabulous orange dress and your mood is instantly lifted. It really is amazing, and I love channeling that through clothes. If I can design an article of clothing that will truly make someone uplifted when worn…well, that just might be the best job in the world!
You live in Fort Worth, Texas. How does that city influence your style, if at all?
Fort Worth still has a small-town feel even though it is a large city. Everyone is so laid back, super friendly and the vibe is relaxed all the time. It is definitely a family town, too, so when designing my line I certainly took my lifestyle here into account. I needed to be able to get dressed in the morning and look cute – AND be comfy! – through school drop-off, grocery shopping, throwing the ball for my dogs, lunch with the girls, business meetings, and date nights. A tall order, I know, but I like setting the bar for myself high. I created pieces that met all of these conditions and I am so happy with the result. 


In addition to your clothing designs you also run a blog, Southern Eclectic. How did you go about choosing the name?
You know it just suddenly came to me! I started my blog before I started my clothing line as a creative outlet to get my mind off of diapers and baby bottles. I was trying to think of the perfect name that would encompass me as a person. The Southern Eclectic literally popped into my head and I was like, yes! That is it!! If I could pick one word to describe my style, it would be eclectic, so it was instantly fitting. 
Describe the woman who wears the Sheridan French line.
Well, as I said above, my primary goal was to design colorful pieces that would take women through the craziness of their days and still keep them chic. I also wanted to create pieces that would work for my teenage nieces as well as my mother. That is a big age span – 13 to 75 – but using classic lines solved the problem and now my nieces and mother wear my line beautifully! I am adding in several more styles for 2012 and cannot wait to show everyone…plus bags, baby and home!! Everything was designed for a fabulous life full of color…because there’s nothing better!

The Sheridan French line is available for purchase online or at a handful of retailers across the country.

All pictures courtesy of Sheridan French
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men's menswear new orleans mens fashion southern fashion designer

Clothing that makes the man: Camrich Mann by Brennan Manuel

Lets face it, in the world of fashion men are typically relegated to either the same predictable yawn fest or designs that are so over the top that it scares off even the dandiest of dressers.  Camrich Mann is a fresh, new menswear label from New Orleans fashion designer Brennan Manuel that has already received accolades by being a top designer contest finalist at this years’ Fashion Week New Orleans. Not only did Brennan study Menswear Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York but he recently graduated from Tulane Law School as well.




He really sets apart his designs from the rest  by creating interesting pieces that aren’t blatantly bland or freakishly flamboyant. His work is heavy on excellent, simple design with sharp tailoring and interesting details. Brennan understands that clothing makes the man but the focus should be on the man himself; the garments are merely an accent to the personality that is already there.



Brennan’s main  objective with Camrich Mann  “is to produce a clothing line that serves my target market, the Urban Graduate.” He defines  the “Urban Grad” as a student of his own urban environment that appreciates trends but wants to be “individually innovative”. Camrich Mann serves as a way for younger men to understand how to present themselves in a more mature manner without looking stodgy.



  
In Brennan’s own words:

“The Urban Grad is a cosmopolite that believes you can judge a book by its cover and understands that presentation is 80% of what you bring to the table, in any encounter. Therefore this man strives to develop his own style and taste by allowing his mind to be inspired by other things, other people and himself. He realizes that every well-dressed man’s closet must have its staples but recognizes that building upon this foundation to showcase masculinity through more unconventional pieces is key; therefore he is adaptable. Unlike other well-dressed men, the Urban Grad has the innate ability to be a tastemaker. I create clothes that represent a young man in his transition to and after he has reached adulthood. I see these clothes as reinventing consumer conscious staples with a luxurious, innovative twist. I envision a brand that becomes the symbol of a lifestyle and a generation.”



Buyers interested in purchasing a Camrich Mann piece can do so by commission. Shirts start at $190 and include details such as back darts and stretch poplin fabric to ensure fit and a hidden placket. The cropped trouser pant retails for $290 and jackets start at $590. You can keep up with Camrich Mann via the Facebook page.




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